Cheteshwar Pujara Should Keep Batting at No 3 - Gundappa Vishwanath

Updated - 10 Jan 2019, 01:36 AM

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Following India’s comprehensive victory against Afghanistan in their debut Test against at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, the former Indian batsman, Gundappa Vishwanath has questioned the shuffling of the batting order in the Indian batting line-up. To accommodate KL Rahul in the XI, Pujara got demoted to the number fourth position. Cheteshwar Pujara generally bats at No 3. However, due to Rahul’s inclusion, he had to move down one place.

Pujara should bat at number three

Vishwanath felt it was not the ideal decision. He is of the opinion the team management must sick with Pujara in the No 3 slot.

“It does make a difference batting at No. 3 and 4. It is always a set number given to the batsman,” he said.

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“But the only thing is when Kohli walks in to bat at No. 4, what happens to Pujara? He has been doing the No. 3 role well and gets steady runs when an early wicket falls. Am not sure what he does at No. 5, a position entirely different from No. 3 and 4.”

The former Indian batsman also felt KL Rahul should replace Ajinkya Rahane in the Playing XI. He believes Rahane should wait and make way for Rahul who has been batting quite brilliantly in the recent past.

“Rahane has not been getting runs consistently. He can wait and should give way to Rahul, who has been playing really well,” he said.

Rahul who batted at the 3^rd slot in the Afghanistan Test scored a well-composed half-century. On the other hand, Pujara got off to a steady start but wasn’t able to convert it into a big one. Pujara has been one of the most dependable Indian batsmen at the No 3 slot and scored a lot of runs in this batting order.

India has to quickly decide on their batting order ahead of the long and gruelling tour of England. It remains to be seen what combination India goes for.