NEW DELHI: Former England seamer Stuart Broad has voiced his opinion on India's batting lineup for the ongoing five-match series against England, advocating for the inclusion of experienced batter Cheteshwar Pujara in the absence of former captain Virat Kohli.
Kohli's absence from the series due to personal reasons has left a void in the Indian batting order, prompting Broad to express his views.
"With the experience & world-class talent of Kohli missing, would there have been temptation to bring back Pujara into this India batting lineup? Or is his international career over? Feels like he could have brought some consistency and an anchor," Broad shared on X, highlighting Pujara's potential role as a stabilizing force in the team.
Pujara, renowned for his solidity in the middle-order, boasts an impressive Test record, having amassed 7,195 runs at an average of 43.60 in 103 matches. Despite his recent struggles, particularly since India's historic triumph over Australia at The Gabba in January 2021, where he played a pivotal role, Pujara's experience and track record cannot be overlooked.
Since the Gabba victory, Pujara's form has witnessed a decline, managing only 1,084 runs at an average of 29.29 in 22 Tests.
However, his consistent performances in domestic cricket, notably in the Ranji Trophy where he scored 783 runs at an average of 71.18, suggest he still has plenty to offer at the international level.
1/10:4th Test: Shoaib Bashir's four-wicket burst puts India on backfoot
Reuters
2/10:India struggling at 219/7 in reply to England's 353
<p>Young off-spinner Shoaib Bashir scythed through the Indian line-up with an impressive four-wicket haul that left the hosts stuttering at 219 for seven in reply to England's 353 on day two of the fourth Test in Ranchi on Saturday.<br /></p>Reuters
3/10:Bashir shines on tricky pitch
<p>The 20-year-old Bashir, playing only his second Test, got rid of Shubman Gill (38), Rajat Patidar (17), Ravindra Jadeja (12) on a pitch that has uneven bounce and cracks to rattle the Indian top and middle order.<br /></p>AP
4/10:Bashir gets rid of in-form Jaiswal
<p>Bashir returned after the tea break in his marathon 31-over spell across two sessions to clean up in-form Yashasvi Jaiswal (73) with a ball that skidded through the defence of the left-hander.<br /></p>AP
5/10:Fine partnership between Jurel and Kuldeep
<p>If it was not for a combative partnership between Dhruv Jurel (30 batting) and Kuldeep Yadav (17), India would have struggled to cross even 200-run mark. They had joined forces when the scorecard read 177 for seven.<br /></p>AP
6/10:Robinson gets out on audacious reverse sweep
<p>This was after England's first innings folded for 353 after starting the day at 302 for seven. The total could have been bigger if Ollie Robinson (58) had not attempted an audacious reverse sweep off Ravindra Jadeja.<br /></p>Reuters
7/10:Another fine knock by young Jaiswal
<p>The 22-year-old Jaiswal yet again produced a confident knock. He now has scored 618 runs with an average of 103 in this series. He looked for another big one before being done in by low bounce.<br /></p>ANI
8/10:Hartley dismisses Sarfaraz
<p>Left-arm spinner Tom Hartley returned with figures of 2/47 that included the crucial breakthrough of Sarfaraz Khan (14) who had a frustrating stay. He also survived a run-out.<br /></p>AFP
9/10:Anderson dismisses Rohit early
<p>India lost Rohit Sharma (2) cheaply when old warhorse James Anderson induced a faint-edge from the skipper in the third over of their innings.<br /></p>Getty Images
10/10:Root remains unbeaten on 122
<p>Joe Root, who dug in deep with his classical century spanning a little more than six hours, remained stranded on 122 from 274 balls (10x4).<br /></p>ANIMeanwhile, in the ongoing Test match between India and England, England posted a respectable total of 353 in their first innings, anchored by an unbeaten century from captain Joe Root.
In response, India ended day two at 219/7 in their first innings, with Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill making significant contributions with the bat. However, England spinners Shoaib Bashir and Tom Hartley dominated proceedings, leaving the Three Lions with a lead of 134 runs heading into the next day's play.
(With inputs from ANI)
