By: BCCI
The Innings total in the Mohali Test read like this. India: 201 and 200. South Africa: 184 and 109. Out of the 40 wickets, 34 went to the spinners. It tells you the story of the pitch. It turned from the first session of the Test and got more and more difficult to bat on.
For a batsman, an innings of 40-odd in such contests is more satisfying than churning out hundreds in run-fests on featherbeds. And when these runs prove to be the difference between your team and the opposition in a closely fought contest, their value goes up several notches.
It was hence, that in the context of the first Test between India and South Africa, the runs scored by Murali Vijay (75 and 47) and Cheteshwar Pujara (31 and 77) were worth their weight in gold. The value of their runs can be ascertained by this little combined stat of runs scored per wicket in the match.
The cushion of those runs was what enabled Ashwin and Jadeja to spin havoc in the South African line-up, to seal the match for India by 108 runs in three days.
After the victory, Pujara chatted with BCCI.TV about batting about the key to batting on such difficult pitches and his partnerships with Vijay of 63 and 86 runs in the first and second innings respectively.
You have played some incredible innings at home. This one has to be one of the more satisfying ones.
Cheteshwar Pujara: This one is up there. The conditions were difficult and the team needed a good total. We have played cricket on some challenging wickets and this was one of those. It was an innings of 77 but it was crucial in the context of the match. Ultimately we were able to put on a decent total which we could defend.
There was a lot of talk about the pitch. But you and Vijay showed that if you really apply yourself, you can bat long here.
Cheteshwar Pujara: That’s correct. The wicket was challenging but it wasn’t that bad if you applied yourself as a batsman. Once you were set, the bowlers were struggling to get wickets. It was all about making a partnership. That’s what Vijay and I spoke about when I went in to bat (in the second innings). It helped that we had a partnership in the first innings as well. If two batsmen were set and solid, it was not easy for the bowlers to get wickets.
On such wickets is it also important to be positive and not go into your shell?
Cheteshwar Pujara: That was my plan. Every time I got a loose ball, I wanted to make sure I got a boundary. If not a boundary, I at least tried to rotate the strike. Once I was set, I had my rhythm and I knew I could play shots on this wicket.
Many batsmen got out to straight balls expecting it to turn. Crucial not to let the pitch play on your mind?
Cheteshwar Pujara: Form the first day onwards a few balls were coming in, especially from the left-arm spinners. As a batsman it was difficult to determine which ball was going to turn and which one would keep straight. Jadeja’s wickets of du Plessis and Amla showed that. He was also getting good drift. But yes, as a batsman it was important to judge the line of the ball well and not presume what it would do. You cannot expect the ball to turn all the time. At times it is difficult to do that, but you have to manage it.
Talk about your partnership with Vijay. You two were the epitome of solidity and determination out there.
Cheteshwar Pujara: We were communicating very well on how the bowlers were bowling and what line they were likely to bowl. Most importantly, I thought we both defended well and looked solid at the crease. As a fielding unit they had to think really hard as to how to get us out. Once we were in, we were rotating the strike, punishing the loose balls and were solid in defence. All the things went perfectly for us.
Fielding at short-leg and silly point on such pitches – taxing or enjoyable?
Cheteshwar Pujara: It is challenging because you expect the ball to come at you all the time and you always have to be ready to take the chance when it comes. Sometimes it is difficult because you have to concentrate all the time, but when you take a catch, you feel happy about it.
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