Indian cricketer Cheteshwar Pujara shares his analysis of Day 1 at the pink-ball Test against Australia in Adelaide. He believes that team India should have scored at least 250-275 runs on the challenging pitch and credits Australia's bowlers for their effective lengths. Pujara also points out that building partnerships could have been key to India's success, as opposed to constantly losing wickets.
India vs. Australia: Pujara Analyzes Day 1 of Pink-Ball Test
Background:
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy, a highly anticipated Test series between India and Australia, kicked off with a pink-ball Test in Adelaide on December 17, 2020. India, the defending champions, entered the match as slight favorites, while Australia sought to regain the trophy they lost in 2018-19.
Day 1 Recap:
India won the toss and elected to bat first on a challenging Adelaide Oval pitch. However, the Australian bowlers proved too strong as they bundled out the visitors for just 244 runs. Josh Hazlewood led the charge with four wickets, while Pat Cummins chipped in with three.
Indian opener Prithvi Shaw provided a bright start with a brisk 40, but wickets fell steadily after his dismissal. Cheteshwar Pujara, India's rock-solid number three batter, contributed a valuable 43, but it was not enough to prevent Australia from establishing a significant lead.
Pujara's Analysis:
After the day's play, Pujara shared his thoughts on India's performance. He acknowledged that the pitch was difficult to bat on, but he believed that India should have scored at least 250-275 runs.
Pujara praised the Australian bowlers for their effective lengths and noted that India's batsmen struggled to adjust to the challenging conditions. He also emphasized the importance of partnerships, saying that India needed to bat together in pairs and build big scores.
FAQs:
1. What was the result of Day 1 of the pink-ball Test? Australia bowled out India for 244 runs, establishing a lead of 195 runs.
2. Who were the key performers for Australia on Day 1? Josh Hazlewood (4 wickets) and Pat Cummins (3 wickets).
3. Who was the top scorer for India on Day 1? Cheteshwar Pujara (43 runs).
4. What were some of the reasons for India's struggles on Day 1? Challenging pitch, effective Australian bowling, and lack of partnerships.
5. What did Pujara suggest India should have done differently? Scored more runs and built partnerships.
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