His Strokes May be Ugly, but Cheteshwar Pujara's Determination is Beautiful

The coin went up in the air. About 200 meters away a cricket ball shot through the air. The coin landed, flipped around, and the umpire declared that Sri Lanka had won the toss. By this time that cricket ball had made contact with a willow. It wasn't the first time that morning. The man wielding the willow was Cheteshwar Pujara.(Day 2 Report | Scorecard | Highlights)

What was this about? Well, Cheteshwar Pujara was the sole batsman from either side, getting some practice. When was this? Minutes before the start of the decisive 3rd Test. Where was this? At the nets, about 200 meters away from the SSC main pitch.

When Pujara made the short walk back to the pavilion after a net session with India's batting coach Sanjay Bangar, he didn't know who had won the toss. A short conversation with yours truly, and he knew he wouldn't have to take off the pads he was wearing. At the time, one of the many security personnel standing there sought a photograph with Pujara. Less than 15 minutes to go before he had to walk out to bat and Pujara didn't flinch. He posed and smiled patiently till the cameraman did his work.

As I write this piece, Pujara has just hit a cover drive, one that could at best be described as ugly when compared to Virat's finesse and Rohit's flair. Maybe, that's why, at the start of the series, Virat more than suggested that Rohit is more of a match winner than Pujara.

Two minutes after walking in to bat, he saw Dhammika Prasad knock off the stumps of his opening partner, KL Rahul. Pujara and KL Rahul were the 4th opening pair for India in the last 6 Tests. Pujara had not played the last 4 Tests. He had been dropped for various reasons. Below average form, lesser belief in his match winning capabilities when compared to Rohit Sharma, and India's shift to playing a 5 bowler combination. That's when two of the 3 openers on the tour got injured. Pujara would get his chance. Never mind, not at his preferred position. He knew whatever he scores here would still not guarantee a place in the playing XI when the injured heal. To top it off, India was batting first, in a deciding Test match, on a pitch that was unlike any seen in subcontinental conditions. Cheteshwar Pujara would be making a Test comeback to India's playing XI under the most trying and testing conditions.

On the pitch, Pujara plays the Ugly square cut, the Ugly pull and the Ugly hook.

On the non-strikers end, Virat and Rohit have edged their way back to the pavilion. Binny has fallen for a golden duck. The man Virat believes has the potential to graduate into an all-rounder, R Ashwin has fallen for 5, his 5th below 20 score of the series. The pitch curator had predicted India would be 5 down by lunch. It did happen, albeit one ball after lunch. Pujara remains steady.

27 year old Pujara steps out to two successive Tharanga Kaushal deliveries, gets to the pitch of the ball on both occasions, but does not loft either delivery. Plays safe, head down, straight, so what if he hits it straight to the bowler? He plays Test cricket. The two memorable times Rohit had stepped out had been ridden with risk, the kind one is told to avoid in Test cricket. The first almost saw him getting out. The second went for a six. Pujara doesn't give you any of this drama. Pujara epitomizes the phrase damage controller. Is he the one batsman one would trust with their life in dire conditions of Test cricket?

Just like the coin had gone up in the air, Pujara's bat goes up in the air to celebrate a century. It comes off 214 balls. That's 27 balls more than what Virat took to get his last century, and 98 balls more than what Rohit took to score his previous ton. Rohit scored a ton each in his first two Test innings. Since then he has played 22 innings and not got to three figures even once. This is Pujara's first ton after 22 innings. So, sure, it's not an easy call. Who to pick, Rohit or Pujara?

Pujara may be the jeep that can take you in any terrain and be steady; while Rohit may be the BMW you'd want on an autobahn. On a grassy pitch, all the injuries, may have proved to be a blessing in disguise because without them Pujara, possibly India's best suited batsman for these conditions wouldn't have played. Before the match Team Director Ravi Shastri spoke about how India 'will play horses for courses'. But he was talking about the bowlers. Maybe it is time for India to 'play horses for courses' when it comes to batsmen too?

Tea break is over. A journalist shouts 'chai garam, chai garam'. Pujara walks out. Bends down to touch the ground and pay his respects. Amit Mishra does the same. Mishra scores a fifty shortly after. Pujara is dropped on 117. It was one of the rare occasions when he couldn't control the ball from going in the air while playing a hook. Rain comes, Pujara hits a few hooks but doesn't take a single, protects Ishant Sharma.

But can one look past his century? What a statement! There is now serious competition in this team. The winner of the ICC emerging cricketer of the year award (2013), Pujara has emerged again.