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India’s recent Test series loss to New Zealand has sparked widespread criticism, with former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra pointing out the team’s over-reliance on aggressive batting.
Chopra believes that India’s failure to include a defensive player like Cheteshwar Pujara in the squad has hindered their ability to adapt to different pitch conditions. He argued that Pujara’s patient and disciplined approach could have been crucial in the recent series, particularly in the second Test where India struggled to chase a modest target.
“Are we missing Pujara? It’s a big question actually. As a player, you might say that he would score these many runs and others would also score as many runs, so are you missing him that much? Maybe not, because at some stage you have to move beyond everyone. So you left Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane in such a scenario,” Chopra said.
“You got Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant started playing at No. 5. So things changed a lot. Change is the rule of nature but one thing is definitely missing. No one in this team can do what Cheteshwar Pujara used to do. Everyone plays the same brand of cricket, that they would attack and play aggressive cricket, and have nothing to do with a draw as they play like this only. That does not work,” he added.
Pujara, who was dropped from the Indian Test team, recently made a strong statement with a double century in the Ranji Trophy. His consistent performances at the domestic level have led to calls for his return to the national side.
