Since Rohit Sharma tested COVID-19 positive on Sunday, the Indian cricket team has had to re-think their strategy for the Test match against England, starting in Edgbaston on Friday. Not only Rohit is the captain, but also the team's opening batter. If he indeed does not play, the team has only a few options to replace him at the top. Cheteshwar Pujara's name has been doing the rounds as an opener in case Rohit does not play. Pujara has been in brilliant form of late, scoring over 700 runs in five matches in the County Championship.
India spin great Harbhajan Singh backed the veteran Pujara to come good in the England Tour. Pujara was earlier dropped from the Indian Test team in February after a string of low scores. He has failed to score a Test century since January 2019.
"He has been playing continuously in English conditions. Though you might say that in County cricket, the quality of bowlers is not like in international cricket, but yes in County cricket also you encounter one or two bowlers, who play international cricket. It's good to see Pujara picked this option to go and play County. He was in good form there. His contribution has always been there. When we went to Australia, he had a big contribution though people talk less about him," Harbhajan Singh said in a discussion on Sportskeeda Cricket.
"It England also...whenever there is need to take the shine off the ball, to score runs and to hold one end, nobody has done the job better than Pujara. Talwar unke upar latak gayi thi. It was like 'Drop him, others are playing alright' which I thought was wrong. Pujara has been phenomenal for Team India when it comes to touring abroad because he doesn't get out, he makes it easier for others, he takes the shine off the ball. That's the reason India have won so many games abroad."
The Test between India and England is part of the series that got stalled last year due to a COVID outbreak in the Indian camp. India lead the five-match series 2-1.