SA vs IND 2018, 1st Test: Everyone Believed Hardik Pandya Can Play Such an Innings - Cheteshwar Pujara

While Hardik Pandya’s stunning knock on the second day of the first Test in Cape Town might have surprised many, Cheteshwar Pujara said the Indian team had the belief the 24-year old could play such knocks.

The right-handed batsman came to the crease when India was reeling at 76 for five and soon got reduced to 92 for seven. With South Africa pacers spitting venom, Pandya like his teammates also faced a testing time early on, but unlike his teammates, he managed to cling on. The reward was as fruitful as it gets, as he played perhaps the most significant innings of his international career so far.

Riding on his luck, he played crucial innings to save India from a precarious position. Instead of taking a cautious approach, Pandya took the attack to the hosts and raced away to his second Test fifty off just 46 balls. In a session where India was reduced to 92 for seven from 76 for five, he scored 81 off only 68 deliveries. Pandya went on to miss a well-deserved century by just seven runs, but his knock not only saved India from embarrassment but also helped them claw their way back into the game.

“Everyone believed he (Pandya) can play such an innings and he played his shots and the environment in the dressing room became quite positive. Those runs were very important for the team, and they kept us in the game,” said Pujara after the day’s play.

“If he hadn’t scored those runs, we would have been in trouble. So I think he kept us in the game and got us two wickets also at the end of day’s play. So his performance was outstanding,” Pujara added.

Courtesy of Pandya’s knock, India finished their innings on a respectable 209 in reply to South Africa’s 286. Pandya, meanwhile, went on to make the day more special for him by taking two wickets. South Africa’s openers had given the hosts a strong start by sharing a fifty-plus stand before Pandya dismissed both of them to help India finish the day on a strong note. At stumps, South Africa were 65 for two.

Pujara went on to lavish more praise on the allrounder, saying:

“He batted really well and showed a lot of character. He hasn’t played many Test matches away from home, but this is the kind of innings (he played) we expected it from him if he played in the playing XI.

“I think if someone who is very promising, he is batting well, bowling well, it makes a lot of difference to the team because when you have a very good allrounder, it balances your team combination. I hope he continues with this,” added Pujara.

India’s top-order, meanwhile, failed to perform as per expectation. Starting the day on 28 for three, Pujara and Rohit Sharma managed to survive against the relentless South African pace bowling quartet, in particular, Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada but failed to score. As a result when they were dismissed, India was yet to register a safe score.

Speaking about South Africa’s bowling, Pujara said:

“They bowled in the right areas obviously, but at the same time, we knew what we wanted to do. We almost got that I think. Rohit got out but otherwise, we were trying to build a partnership, and we almost got it. So, overall in the first session, we lost just one wicket, and we did bat well today.”

“The minus point was losing three wickets yesterday, that’s where I think we should have batted better. To be honest, I should have left the ball (after tea) alone. It was outside the off-stump. I made a mistake and got out. It deviated a little more than what I expected but at the same time I made a mistake and I had to pay the price for it,” he added.

Pujara further insisted that a target of 350 can be chased on Newlands track.

“Overall, I think we played well today, and we are very much in the game. We got two wickets today and if we bowl well tomorrow, and if we are chasing somewhere around 350, I think, we are very much in the game,” he concluded.

Here is the news feed:

SA v India 2018: Dale Steyn Ruled Out Of India Test Series

SA vs IND 2018: Hardik Pandya Keeps India in Hunt on Day Two at Newlands

Catch India’s tour to South Africa here.

Video of the day: