3 Teams that can pick Cheteshwar Pujara in IPL 2021 Auction

One of the biggest hoaxes in T20 cricket is that the Test specialist can not make an impact in this format. As the T20 format arrived, everyone had an impression that only sloggers will be able to survive in this format. This fact was accepted everywhere, and as a result, the senior members of the Indian Cricket team decided not to participate in the inaugural ICC T20 world cup. Then, a series of youngsters came into the squad and lifted the trophy under a young captain!

Well, the fans might have overlooked the ideology here. The seniors did not participate in the World T20 because they wanted to give the youngsters a chance. This never meant that Test batsmen are not credible enough to play in the shortest format of the game. But, it did affect some careers.

The man we are talking about is Cheteshwar Pujara. It was Pujara’s heroic effort that laid the foundation of an emphatic victory at the Gabba. However, the successor to Rahul Dravid has been unsuccessful to establish himself as the man for all seasons! Of late, Pujara has expressed his views of making it to IPL. Well, here are the 3 teams that can pick Cheteshwar Pujara in the IPL 2021 Auction:

3. Kings XI Punjab

The Kings XI Punjab was the most entertaining franchise last season. All the drama started during their first encounter with Delhi Capitals. The KL Rahul lead side lost in the super over. Another incident that proved to be costly later on was the umpiring error during that match. Well, umpiring errors were a usual thing last season! 

However, after the inclusion of Chris Gayle, the team redeemed itself and they won multiple matches consecutively. But, their effort went into vain as they lost their final match against the Chennai Super Kings. Their middle-order failure was one of the main reasons for their exit from the tournament. They lacked a solid middle-order batsman who can play the role of the anchor. 

But, if they are looking for a mentally strong batsman, who can play orthodox shots, well, Cheteshwar Pujara is the man for them. The senior top-order batsman has been constantly underrated and when in full flow, can score runs without any risks. Think of a situation when there is a batting order failure, well the only batsman who can save the team is Cheteshwar Pujara! Therefore, Kings XI Punjab is one of the teams that can pick Pujara in the upcoming auction.

2. Rajasthan Royals

Before IPL 2020, the man who played the role of the anchor was Ajinkya Rahane. The top-order batsman played the role of a supporter whenever the team had excellent starts and stayed at the crease till the very end of an inning. However, the Royals made a mistake by letting him go during the 2020 auctions. They lacked a senior Indian batsman at the top of the order.

While Steve Smith failed during the thirteenth season, there was a plethora of pressure on Sanju Samson to play with a high strike rate. Therefore, the team choked and stars like Stokes, Archer, and Buttler failed to ensure that the team reached the playoffs. Last year, the Royals settled for the eighth position. And, this year, they released a veteran like Steve Smith.

As there is a void in the batting lineup, the Royals should look for a senior Indian batsman. Most of the franchises will never opt for Pujara. Primarily because he is a Test specialist. Now, during his recent interviews, Pujara has stated that he would like to play in the limited-overs format. Maybe, Rajasthan is the team that will include Pujara in its squad!

1. Sunrisers Hyderabad

The T20 franchises, who have been underestimating Pujara’s caliber in the shortest format of the game should have a look at his records during the 2006 U19 World Cup. In that tournament, he scored 346 runs with an average of 116! Well, even Virat Kohli could not achieve that average! Therefore, Pujara has been unlucky over these years.

For a team like the Sunrise, their main strength has been their bowling. With Rashid Khan, David Warner, and Jonny Bairstow in the squad, the team’s overall strength has been increasing since 2016. They have been a regular member of the top half of the table but they find themselves as the unfortunate side during the playoffs. Well, they lack a solid top-order batsman might be the issue.

Manish Pandey played the role of the anchor last year. But, he was rarely successful and it seems like he needs to play with more freedom. The squad hits the panic button when the top order fails and hence, they need someone like Pujara to anchor the inning during a panic situation. Pujara’s ability to score safely might be a useful weapon in the arsenal for Hyderabad. Therefore, Sunrisers Hyderabad might be the team that will include Pujara into its squad.