India did wrong in leaving out Pujara at Edgbaston, feels former West Indian great Michael Holding

Former West Indian fast bowler Michael Holding is of the opinion that India should have never left out Cheteshwar Pujara from the playing XI in Birmingham where the visitors lost their opening Test against England by 31 runs on Saturday, the penultimate day. Pujara ranked No. 6 in Tests, did not have a great time in the last overseas series that India played in South Africa nor in Yorkshire ahead of the England series. He could muster just 172 runs from six outings at an average of 14.33.

In the last Test match at home against Afghanistan where both the openers got hundreds Pujara couldn’t make it count and even failed to deliver in the three-day warm-up game against Essex ahead of the first Test. Eventually, Pujara, who was assured of his place in the XI, did not get to play the opening Test. While Shikhar Dhawan, another out-of-form batsman who scored a pair against Essex, was backed at the top and KL Rahul was trusted with the No.3 spot in Pujara’s place.

Pujara is too good a player

Speaking to Sky Sports, Holding, who was referred to as “Whispering Death” during his playing days, said: “I do not understand how they are so reluctant to play Pujara. He’s too good a player.”

“If Kohli had no form, would they leave him out? I’m not saying Pujara is as good as Kohli because Kohli is way above everyone else. But when you have (for example) a Rahul Dravid, a VVS Laxman or a Sourav Ganguly who is not in excellent form, do you leave them out? No,” Holding, who took 249 wickets from 60 Tests between 1975 and 1987, said.

Neither Dhawan (26 and 13) nor Rahul (four and 13) could make it big in the Test. Other premier batsmen like Murali Vijay and Ajinkya Rahane also failed to make any mark and it was all on captain Virat Kohli (149 and 51) to score for India. The repeated batting debacles were too much for the hosts as they failed to overhaul a modest target of 194.

Pandya is not Kapil Dev

Holding, 64, suggested that India should bring back Pujara for the second Test starting at Lord’s on August 9 at the expense of Hardik Pandya, the all-rounder who failed to produce anything magical at Edgbaston.

“Pandya, it seems as if he’s the golden boy in this team. Everyone thinks he’s going to be the next Kapil Dev. He hasn’t shown that yet. Why not pick a batsman (instead)? Pandya got a few runs in the second innings but is he a better batsman than Pujara? I don’t think so, and you don’t need him as a bowler in my eyes,” the Jamaican clearly said.

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