'He needs a break' - Twitter frustrated with Cheteshwar Pujara getting out early again

The third Test between England and India got underway after a long break on Wednesday (August 25). The visitors are leading the five-match series 1-0 after registering a stunning win at Lord’s. Their skipper Virat Kohli finally managed to win a toss in England and he had no hesitation in batting first on a sunny morning in Leeds.

However, team India is reeling within the first half hour of the Test having lost both KL Rahul and Cheteshwar Pujara. While Rahul endured his first duck (or failure) of the series, it wasn’t the same for India’s number three. Pujara’s barren run with the bat just extended for one more innings.

James Anderson’s masterclass with the new ball just induced the batsman to make an error. The veteran pacer has only delivered in-swingers to Cheteshwar Pujara before and he started the new over going wide of the crease pitching the ball closer to the off-stump but with an outswinger.

The 33-year-old batsman pushed at an away going delivery without much confidence and ended up edging the red cherry to the wicketkeeper Jos Butter. Pujara could score only a solitary run after facing nine deliveries to leave India struggling at 4/2 in the fifth over.

A poor series for Cheteshwar Pujara

Cheteshwar Pujara, clearly, isn’t having a good time in England. So far, in his series, he has scored 71 runs in five innings at an average of 17.75. Moreover, 45 of those came in the second innings at Lord’s where he stitched a crucial stand of 100 runs with Ajinkya Rahane. Pujara faced more than 200 balls for his 45 but looked assured in his defence and many thought he had gained his form with that knock.

Interestingly, these are the best batting conditions India have got to bat and they have got off to their worst start in five innings of this series. They did really well in cloudy, seaming and swinging conditions before and it remains to be seen how they recover from this situation. Meanwhile, the fans were not impressed for the umpteenth time in recent past for getting out early.

Here’s how Twitter reacted:

Fun fact : Bhuvneshwar Kumar has more fifties than Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane in England in way lesser no of innings.

— Steph (@albatrosscric) August 25, 2021

If we are selecting the team according to English conditions, the first player who should be dropped is Cheteshwar Pujara & NOT Ravichandran Ashwin.@imVkohli 🙏

— Sushant Mehta (@SushantNMehta) August 25, 2021

If Pujara gets another game , then it will be pretty easy to figure out that Kohli and Coach makes all the decisions on their liking irrespective of performance and other feedback. Maybe we have to lose one match to come back to our senses !#ENGvIND #INDvENG

— The Secret Admirer (@ArtisticPerv) August 25, 2021

Pujara has serious issues with balls outside swinging/seaming away. Feet gets plonked, & he just pushes at the ball, & invariably, edges off.
Looks clueless, to be honest. Needs to get back to the drawing board.
Must get in Surya at 3 for the next two games.#ENGvIND #TeamIndia

— Tejas (@jha_tejas26) August 25, 2021

Thank you Pujara.🙏🏻

— 71st Ritesh Mahato (@Ritesh_7l) August 25, 2021

Sky in for Pujara in the 4th test

— Prantik (@Pran__07) August 25, 2021

Gets even worse 2020 -2021

Rahane – 27
Kohli – 23
Pujara – 24

1 100 between them

— Sam[uel] Smith (@sgowsmith1988) August 25, 2021

Aight Pujara, it was fun while it lasted

— Harsh (@Harsherrr) August 25, 2021

Pujara's current form is akin to that consistently losing (lost) trader who says "this is my last trade, if this goes for a sl, I am done with trading" and that trade becomes a success and he continues to trade and of course making losses

— Dinesh C Nagpal (@bluechips4u) August 25, 2021

Play Ash at 3 if you're not finding a way to fit him in playing XI, he'll do better than Pujara rn 😭😭😭

— Vishal (@vishu_chiku) August 25, 2021

Pic 1 : Rahul Dravid.
Pic 2 : Cheteshwar Pujara.#INDvENG #CheteshwarPujara pic.twitter.com/QRDSgFftFj

— Chintan Buch (@chintanjbuch) August 25, 2021

Indians to #pujara after this test-

Tussii jaa rahe ho tussi jaldi jao😒😑#IndvsEng #INDvENG #Pujara #LeedsTest

— Nupur Chahal (@nupur_chahal) August 25, 2021

Time to see beyond #Pujara @BCCI Absolutely disappointing!

— Trees More Trees (@invincibleindia) August 25, 2021

Pujara really needs a break. Call it a drop or a break.He really need to get some form back before the opposition continues to drain all his self confidence away.

— Cricketologist (@strangleDownLeg) August 25, 2021

Cheteshwar Pujara last 12 innings:
15, 21, 7, 0, 17, 8, 15, 4, 12*, 9, 45, 1#Pujara #CheteshwarPujara #ENGvIND #ENGvsIND

— Ashish Yadav (@ashishcricket24) August 25, 2021

Pujara please announce retirement after this test

— rahid sadiq (@rahidsadiq17) August 25, 2021

Pujara Should be rested for the rest of matches.@cheteshwar1 #INDvENG #LeedsTest

— सचिन धुमाळे (Sachin Dhumale) (@sachindhumale7) August 25, 2021

Pujara is a selfless person just becoz virat & rohit can bat together he sacrifice his wicket.

Respect.#INDvENG #ENGvsIND

— Coldcigar (@Cold_cigar1) August 25, 2021