Cheteshwar Pujara took all the blows on his body to make sure India creates history in The Gabba against Australians. Although he scored the slowest fifty of his Test career, his dogged mindset broke the hosts as he stitched up a crucial partnership with Rishabh Pant. Pujara made 56 off 211 balls while chasing 324 runs on day five of the fourth Test match.
Pujara was hit on the body at least 10 times off Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, especially the former’s bowling. However, he didn’t show any pain while on the crease except one time when the bowl got him on the gloves. He got over Aussie bowlers to frustrate them and also amaze them with his grit. Before giving up his wicket, the right-hand batsman set up a strong base on which Rishabh Pant build up the match-winning knock.
Reflecting on his own stoic batting against the Aussies, Cheteshwar Pujara said that he had a big threshold for pain, and explained that he was happy to receive blows on his body rather than risk being dismissed.
“From my early days, I am not in the habit of taking pain- killers. That’s why my threshold to bear pain is pretty high. You play for so long, you get used to getting hit,” Pujara told Indian Express.
“I mostly got hit from one end and that too against (Pat) Cummins. There was this crack on the pitch around the short-of-length spot from where the ball would just take off. Cummins has the skill to make the ball rear up from there and make it follow you. In case I took my hand up to defend it, there was a risk that I would glove the ball. Considering the match situation and how we couldn’t afford to lose wickets, I decided to let the ball hit my body,” he said.
This win is really special: Cheteshwar Pujara
Cheteshwar Pujara was also seen jumping in pain on the field after being hit on his hand but after Physio attended him, he continued batting without showing in pain. The batsman revealed that he was unable to hit shots after getting that blow. He also summed up the win as ‘really special’
“It is tough to hold the bat, the grip was slightly loose. So you can’t hit the ball where you want to,” he explained.
That time (2018-19) it was the first win in Australia but this one is really special.”
Pujara reveals a sweet story:
On being asked what was his family’s reaction after surviving several hits, Cheteshwar Pujara revealed a sweet story of his daughter. He said that his daughter said that he would kiss him on his wound and his father will be fine.
“When he comes home, I will kiss where he is hurt, he will be fine,” was how his two-year-old daughter Aditi reacted.
“That’s what I do to her when she falls, so she believes that a kiss can heal every wound,” Pujara said.
Team India broke 32 years unbeaten Test record of Australia by chasing down the mammoth 328 runs target in the second innings. And with this, they also retained Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
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