Trent Bridge Test: Sunil Gavaskar backs Pujara & other Indian batsmen

The game of cricket can change as fast as the weather in England. After losing a game it dominated in Birmingham to getting hammered at Lord’s, India were almost written off from the Test series against England but they came back strongly in the third game at Trent Bridge. If the visitors don’t play too badly from here on or external elements intervene, the series scoreline is much likely to look 2-1 in favour of the hosts after the end of this game.

What, however, assured the Indian side more is its batsmen hitting form. None of the Indian batsmen could show a minimum of application in the first two Tests except captain Virat Kohli but at Nottingham, suddenly a number of batsmen scored runs and it was a good sign for the rest of the series. While vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane hit 81 in the first innings at Trent Bridge, Cheteshwar Pujara, who has struggled to get his act together in the series and even got ignored in the first Test, hit a solid 72 off 208 balls in the second innings. Openers Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul also scored some runs in both innings.

Three Indian batsmen back in form

Former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar, who was among the most brutal critics of India’s performance in the series so far, came to Pujara’s defence after he fell poking at a ball from Ben Stokes.

“There have been questions about Pujara’s place in this team. He was well-set and the ball didn’t do much, maybe moved a little bit away. It has been a very good partnership. Pujara didn’t do a lot wrong. This game has got three of India’s batsmen back in form,” Gavaskar said on BBC Test Match Special.

Pujara’s was the first wicket to fall on Day 3 of the match. He put on 113 runs with Kohli, who was playing on 80, for the third wicket. India were 249 for 3 when the last reports came in with Ajinkya Rahane accompanying Kohli at the wicket. India had an overall lead of 417 runs in the game with more than two days remaining.

England lost all their wickets in the first innings in one session on Day 2 to get bundled out for 161 from 54 for no loss. They fell short of India’s first innings total by 168 runs.

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