I will not drop a guy like Cheteshwar Pujara from my ODI team: Former India spinner Dilip Doshi

32-year-old Cheteshwar Pujara, often labelled as Rahul Dravid’s successor, is a mainstay in Team India’s Test squad. Pujara, along with Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane, has established himself as an indispensable part of India’s red-ball expeditions.

Pujara’s grit, resilience and consistency at the No.3 spot makes him a vital cog of India’s Test team. Despite proving his worth in the traditional format of the sport, his ODI journey has been meagre. The Saurashtra stalwart has played only five ODIs since making his debut in 2013.

Former India left-arm spinner Dilip Doshi has said that he would never drop someone as solid as Pujara from his ODI team. Doshi said that he would simply ask Pujara to hold one end up and bat till the end of the ODI innings. Doshi said it is unfortunate that people at times call such a high-class batsman like Pujara ‘too slow’.

“I will not drop a guy like Pujara from my ODI team. I will ask him to hold one end and keep on batting till the 50th over and I think he is quite capable of it,” said Doshi in a chat with Playwrite Foundation. “It hurts me when people call a high-class batsman such Cheteshwar Pujara as too slow,” Doshi added.

Emergence of T20 cricket has changed the game completely: Dilip Doshi

Doshi, on the emergence of the T20 format, opined that Test cricket is a ‘broader canvas’. Lack of application in modern-day batsmen is the reason behind them struggling against quality spinners, according to Doshi, who donned the national jersey in 33 Tests and 15 ODIs.

“The emergence of T20 cricket has changed the game completely. I believe every good club cricketer can perform in T20 cricket. For me, Test cricket is a broader canvas. I think it is the lack of application among the modern-day batsmen and that’s the reason they struggle against quality spinners,” said Doshi.

“I will encourage youngsters to keep tossing the ball and don’t get disheartened of punishment. For batsmen, runs are like a supply of oxygen, so just don’t give them the easy runs, try and suffocate them,” added Doshi when he was asked to give a piece of advice for young spinners.