Pujara's ability to test the bowlers' patience makes him a great player: Mohammad Kaif

Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif is currently serving the game in a new role of an analyst. Kaif is closely following the ongoing India tour of Australia and is keeping a close eye on the way the players are faring up in the high octane clash. On the eve of the second Test, Kaif spoke at length about the man who played a major role in India’s historic win in the Adelaide Test.

Mohammad Kaif, as per the quotes in DNA, showered praises on Cheteshwar Pujara. He cited that the number three position in the batting lineup is a crucial one and the player has to control the innings. Pujara has done that with utmost ease. Commenting on how Pujara is so immensely successful in the longest format of the game, Kaif remarked that the patience holds the key for Pujara. He allows the bowler to err in his line and length and does not mind leaving the balls alone. His ability to test the bowlers make him a great Test player.

“By batting at No. 3, you have to control the innings and he showed the suppression when the pitch was certainly not easy to bat on. This Adelaide Test’s pitch was not the pitch we knew in Adelaide that was always easy to bat on on the first two days. This time around, it was totally opposite. It was spongy, it made driving the ball difficult as you saw most of the batsmen got out in the similar fashion when they went to drive the ball,” Kaif noted.

“So, I thought Pujara used his patience to defend – his main weapon for conditions and pitches like these – he leaves the balls like anything, he makes the bowlers come to him, he is a great leg-side player so yes, he tests the bowlers’ patience and that makes him a brilliant Test cricket player,” he noted further.

Youngsters should spend time with Pujara

Commenting further on similar lines, Mohammad Kaif conceded that the younger lot and the inexperienced members of the side should take a leaf out of Pujara’s book. He wants the likes of Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul to spend time with Pujara and try to get the similar kind of mindset before they take the field. He pointed out that aggression might not always work in the favour of the batsmen in the longest format of the game.

Adding further, Kaif commented that in order to succeed in Test cricket, one needs to have a strong defensive technique. The moment a player learns how to leave the balls correctly, and make the bowlers work harder, they become all the way more effective in Test cricket. Big players like Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar have shown that this is the proven way to succeed in the longer run, and the youngsters should catch this notion soon.

“Australia is always a tough place to tour but once you get going, you want to keep repeating that in every single game. The likes of Rahul and Pant generally have got a similar kind of mindset. They are attacking batsmen and want to score quick runs but then they have to learn to bring in the balance when they are playing Test cricket, especially during an overseas series. They must watch how Pujara batted in the first innings, probably talk to him, spend time with him and understand his mindset,” Mohammad Kaif quoted.

“To bat for longer hours, you need to approach the defensive technique, learn to leave a lot of balls and make the bowlers work hard. Let the bowlers come to you, rather you going after the ball and that’s old school style of batting in Tests. All the legends of the game like Sachin [Tendulkar] and [Rahul] Dravid have done that. So, I think these guys must watch their videos and also learn from Pujara and Rahane as they prepare for the next Test,” Kaif added further.

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