India vs Australia: This is what Mark Butcher feels about Pujara, Pant and the need to play according to situation

Former England batsman Mark Butcher, who is one of the Sony commentators for the series, spoke about the series. Excerpts

Cheteshwar Pujara plays at the ball while batting on day four during the first cricket test between Australia and India in Adelaide (Photo | AP)

BENGALURU: The first Test saw India produce a fine display and take a 1-0 lead. It provided plenty of talking points such as Cheteshwar Pujara’s patient knock, R Ashwin’s ability to deliver abroad among others. Former England batsman Mark Butcher, who is one of the Sony commentators for the series, spoke about the series. Excerpts: On Pujara: He is one of those old-fashioned cricketers, who plays very low-risk cricket.

Whereas there are others who chase wide balls or play extravagant shots, Pujara blocks them all away. In old-fashioned style, he waits for bowlers to come to him and whenever he gets the ball where he feels he can score, he does it. He is there to stay forever and patiently wait for the opportunity to score. Waiting game or natural game: With Test matches lasting for a long period, you need to be able to play in different ways. Just saying ‘that is how I play’ and never changing the style is not playing for the team. That is playing for yourself. This way, a quick 30 in the first innings is of no great use.

There might be circumstances in the second innings, where it might be of enormous importance. There can be different scenarios where a batsmen needs to adapt. On Rishabh Pant: He is young and unbelievably talented. Opposition teams can be very frightened with the prospect of a player, who comes in at 7 and can take the game away in an hour.

Adam Gilchrist (Australia), Jonny Bairstow (England) have done it. You have somebody in the line-up who is capable of scoring that quickly when the bowlers are tiring at the back end of the innings. Importance of Ashwin: Both teams have a similar kind of attack. The plan revolves around two guys having a good burst with the new ball.

Then, the captain brings in a spinner, who will have to hold from one end while the three quicks are rotated from the other end. Ashwin bowling as well as he has means Kohli always has that control. He has been able to lock one end, rest his quicks and bowl them after they have had time to recover. Ashwin gets out a number of left-handers, so he is dangerous to the Australia line-up.