CSK picked up Cheteshwar Pujara for the base price of 50 lacs in IPL auction 2021 and the entire room erupted into applause. It just goes to show how much respect the ‘Wall’ of the present Indian batting lineup has earned. Having received a chance after an interval of 7 years, Pujara is grateful and looking forward to making an impact. Although the selfless batsman has earned heaps of praise for his steady batting, it would be hard to find many who believe in Pujara’s T20 batting ability. The image of him incessantly fending off balls reverberates in the minds of every cricket fan.
As the experts say, ‘ if you have the correct technique, you can perform in any format of the game’. Pujara is a batting maestro. Two factors truly justify CSK selecting him.
Numbers Speak
With 390 runs in 30 IPL matches at a strike rate of 99.2, Pujara’s IPL stats are quite ordinary. Having said that, his domestic T20 record is up to the snuff. Averaging close to 30. Pujara has scored over 1300 runs in 56 innings (64 matches) with 7 half-centuries and a century to go with it. His blistering knock of 100* came off just 61 balls, playing for Saurashtra against the Railways in the Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy. Pujara’s strike rate is a decent 109.35. Surprisingly, he has also hit 20 sixes.
These numbers are not astounding in any sense, but given the perception fans and a few experts have about Pujara, the numbers seem impressive. To put these numbers into perspective, let us compare them with that of a few IPL players:
The above table is indicative of the fact that eminent former and even the current IPL players have similar averages and a slightly better strike rate compared to that of Pujara.
Can Play Spin Well
Dancing down the pitch, meeting the ball on the full and flicking it away towards the mid-on region — a signature Pujara shot that we see him play a lot in the Test matches against the spinners. He is an excellent player of spin. By stepping out frequently, Pujara forces the bowler to bowl at a shorter length and higher pace — ideal to cut the ball off the back foot.
Cheteshwar Pujara has a mind-boggling average of 110 against spin since 2017 (over 500 deliveries faced) — the highest for any batsman. In IPL, spinners shoulder a lot of responsibilities in the middle overs as well as with the new ball. At least 8 overs of spin per innings is a norm in IPL. Pujara’s ability to score heavily against spin would make him a good prospect for CSK.
The argument that Pujara was included in the side purely as a token of respect and appreciation for his altruistic batting in the tests may sound convincing but if we look at the factors above, he may make some mark in this IPL season if given a chance.
