IND v SA: "He Is Doing The Best He Can" Rahul Dravid Not Concerned With Cheteshwar Pujara’s Form

Indian team head coach Rahul Dravid brushed away concerns about top-order batter Cheteshwar Pujara’s for with the bat especially after his golden duck and 16 runs in the first Test against South Africa in Centurion. He fell to Lungi Ngidi twice in the match and his last Test century came in 2019.

Team India will play the second Test of the three-match series at the Wanderers in Johannesburg from January 2 in a bid to win the match and register their first-ever Test series win in South Africa and complete the record of winning Test series in SENA countries- South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia.

Pujara, who made his Test debut in 2010 against Australia, has 6605 runs in 93 Tests at an average of 44.32 and the best score of 206*. He has made 18 centuries and 31 half-centuries in his Test career.

Cheteshwar Pujara Has Achieved A Lot In The Ten Years He Has Played Cricket: Rahul Dravid  

Dravid backed Pujara to do well in Johannesburg saying that the Rajkot-based batter has achieved a lot in the years he has played Test cricket. Pujara’s last Test century came in Sydney in 2019, though he has played some tough knocks, especially against Australia in the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which India won 2-1.

“I hate using the word ‘concerned’. He is doing the best he can. I do recognize that at times, certainly, he’d like to score more. Someone like him sets really high standards for himself. He has achieved a lot in the ten years he has played cricket. He knows the highs he has had and the kind of success, performances, or runs scored in the past. He would like to replicate that and keep doing that over and over again,” said Dravid in the virtual press conference on the eve of the second Test.

“Sometimes it doesn’t happen but it’s not about being worried, it is about the position he bats which is a bit tough in these conditions. When you get to set, it is nice of your top three or four getting to convert a big score. If that happens, it sets you up very well as a team. It would be great if Pujara does that because we know when he does that, a lot of times India do win those games or put yourself in a really good position,” added Dravid.

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