Internet Desk: In many ways, Pujara is a man of former world cup winning Australian captain, Allan Border’s soul. Like the Aussie great Pujara has no tattoos. Neither he gives you a headline with big statements. Just give him a bat and he’s happy. Like Border, Pujara has no pretension to being your modern chiselled from stone athlete.
In spite of not enjoying the superstar status like Kohli, he has scored twice as many runs as any Australian this series. On Thursday Pujara scored his third ton of the series.
Former Australian captain Allan Border, who was at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Thursday, was impressed to see Pujara make his way through to his third ton of the series. Pujara’s knock reminded Border of his childhood days.
“I reckon he (Pujara) learnt the way I learnt and the way that cricket was basically taught to everyone before me,’’ Border said.
“You learnt three basic shots — in my case it was the cover drive, the cut and the pull — and sort of squirted it around a bit from there. It was a pretty simple game.
“My worry is how is Australia going to get a Pujara? Would he get a game if he was coming through our system? I’m not sure.
“I like the way he has about four gears in his batting.’’
The batsman from Sourashtra rarely fully extends himself on reaching a milestone. Even when he raised his century on the first day of the Sydney test, there were only a few small fist pumps, a kiss of the helmet and raised arms but the lid stayed firmly on the saucepan. That is Cheteshwar Pujara for you.