Cheteshwar Pujara Reveals Nathan Lyon's Sledge on Tour Down Under

India’s Test specialist Cheteshwar Pujara had a dream four-match series against Australia, which India won by a 2-1 margin. Pujara scored 521 runs and faced 1258 balls and didn’t put a foot wrong on the Australian soil. Meanwhile, Cheteshwar Pujara also revealed the sledging he faced while facing Australia.

In fact, Australia is known to be the biggest sledgers of the game. The Australian team always likes to get under the skin of the opposition to gain an undue advantage. However, Cheteshwar Pujara has an immaculate focus and it is not an easy job to quiver his resistance.

Pujara didn’t put a foot wrong in Australia.

Cheteshwar Pujara said while talking to Times of India, “There were many instances but I remember the first Test. Nathan Lyon and Tim Paine tried to sledge me. They almost felt that the game was over when we were 40 for four, when we lost the wicket of Ash (Ravi Ashwin), they thought that we’ll be bowled out for 150-160. And even later on, I think in the third or fourth Test, they were trying to sledge me but at the same time, they started laughing in the end. Lyon came and told me: ‘Aren’t you bored of batting now? You’ve scored so many runs’”.

We have to ask for Wheelchairs.

In fact, Cheteshwar Pujara also revealed the best sledge he received from the Australian player. Pujara said Lyon told him during the third Test at Ranchi in 2017 that they will need to call for the wheelchairs if he doesn’t get out.

“Yes (when asked whether Lyon’s sledge was the best). I never thought that he’ll say such a thing. And then when we were playing against Australia in the third Test in Ranchi in 2017, one of the players came and told me ‘Now if you don’t get out, we’ll have to ask for wheelchairs.’ I was batting on 170-plus. That’s the best sledge I remember from an Aussie player,” replied the 31-year-old.

Cheteshwar Pujara had a dream tour to Australia where he was able to tick the right boxes. Pujara is the backbone of India’s Test batting line-up. The right-hander has a compact technique and it is not an easy job to get the better of the Saurashtra batsman. However, Pujara could not take his state team to Ranji Trophy championship as Saurashtra lost to Vidarbha in the final.