ENG vs IND: Michael Vaughan lists out a similarity betweeen Cheteshwar Pujara and Inzamam-ul-Haq

While Rohit Sharma hogged the majority of the limelight on day three of the ongoing Oval Test due to maiden overseas Test Hundred, India’s Mr. Dependable Cheteshwar Pujara too played his part in a solid 153-run stand for the third wicket and helped India finish on a solid 270 for the loss of three wickets.

Pujara’s form was one of the concerns for the management but with gritty 91 and 61 in the third and fourth Tests respectively, the right-handed batter, for the time being has managed to silence his critics.

But his knock also had few interruptions as the medical team had to intervene when Pujara twisted his ankle. There was a delay in play for few minutes as his ankle was being heavily taped. But luckily for India, the batter was up and running and seemed in no pain whatsoever.

Cricketer-turned-expert Michael Vaughan, who closely watched the whole episode unfold, feels Pujara has many traits similar to former Pakistan batter Inzamam-ul-Haq. “From knowing Pujara a bit from his time at Yorkshire, he’s a bit like me and I wouldn’t say that fielding is high up on his list of priorities. It’ll be an injury in that ankle that if there’s any prospect of him taking a bit of time off the field, he will take it. There’s a few around who used to be like that, Inzamam is one who comes to mind,” Vaughan said on the BBC Test Match Special.

There was a lack of intent from the England bowlers: Michael Vaughan

The majority of the run-scoring during the Sharma and Pujara 153 run-stand was done by the former, who in the process also scored a memorable special hundred. Vaughan opined that there was a lack of intent and variety from the English bowlers on day three of The Oval Test which led to India churning out easy runs.

“It just feels that this England attack is very similar. It’s a concern when the ball’s not moving around that much as a batter you can’t get used to it. Everything’s almost the same pace. There isn’t a go-to bowler to rough Pujara up,” Vaughan added.

The former England skipper concluded by saying that he was bemused by how the bowlers failed to bowl short bowls more to the Indian batters.  “I’m just staggered. There’s so much experience in this England team, how they haven’t noticed the need to bowl shorter deliveries before now to both batsmen. I don’t think I’ve seen Ollie Robinson bowl a single bouncer in this match yet, he’s had Rohit out twice in this series with the short ball,” Vaughan added.