Cheteshwar Pujara can think of playing a few more shots in WTC Final: WV Raman

Former India batsman WV Raman does not come often under the limelight and prefers to remain quiet most of the time. But quiz him anything about cricket and Raman will talk all day long and give various insights to the subject. The former women’s team coach was once known for his solid technique and gritty approach while batting.

During his time with the Tamil Nadu team, Raman would more often than not be the prized scalp of the opposition team due to his ability to score tons of runs and grind it out in the middle. Well, one person in the current Indian team, Cheteshwar Pujara, too loves to bat for long periods of time and leave the opposition frustrated.

With the ICC World Test Championship Final (WTC) just a few days away, India and New Zealand are both gearing up for the summit clash. All the experts and former cricketers have got their thinking caps on and are suggesting changes in the line-up as to who should be in and who should be out.

Raman too has jumped into the bandwagon and has a piece of advice for India’s number three on how to tackle the New Zealand bowlers and what approach should be taken while batting at the crucial position in the swing and seam conditions in England.

Raman advices Pujara to score runs off poor balls

“I think Cheteshwar perhaps can look at playing a few more shots. In England, you’ve got to make the best use of the scoring opportunities. Assuming this will again be a typical English summer, you will get very few scoring opportunities anyway. Cheteshwar likes to grind for long hours and then score. In that period, he might miss out on some scoring opportunities,” he said according to Hindustan Times.

WV Raman also felt that Pujara’s approach worked wonders in countries like India and Australia but it might not work in England. He also cited the importance of making sure to hit the poor ball for runs which in turn helps build the confidence and also keep the scoring rate moving.

“You can get away with that in India, Australia, where there is not much swing and seam. But both happen a lot in England. In Australia, you will have bounce, you might have a bit of seam but in England, you will have to cope with all three at times. It is important not to let the scoring opportunities go. This not only gives him runs and builds his confidence but it also puts the bowler under pressure. It makes him think,” Raman further added.