ENG vs IND: 3 Indian players who can replace Cheteshwar Pujara for England series

Cheteshwar Pujara is one of the few Indian players under the spotlight following India’s World Test Championship (WTC) final loss to New Zealand. With 841 runs in 18 matches at an average of 28, Pujara’s numbers have plummeted drastically in the last 24 months.

Even more pain-striking is the fact that the 33-year-old's strike-rate of 35.69 was the lowest among batsmen in the first iteration of the WTC cycle.

---

Why should India consider dropping Cheteshwar Pujara?

After making his debut for India in 2010, Cheteshwar Pujara was pipped as the next 'wall' of Indian cricket. The Saurashtra batsman established himself in the Indian middle order, putting in impressive performances at both home and testing overseas conditions.

The 2018 Australian tour was one of the breakthrough moments for Pujara, who slammed 521 runs across four Tests including a mammoth 193 in Sydney.

When you manage to get this reaction from a batsman of Cheteshwar Pujara’s temperament after you’ve made him make an error (poking outside his off-stump) he’s rarely prone to, you know you’re genuinely world-class like Kyle Jamieson certainly is #WTCFinal pic.twitter.com/nLbqxSbPuj

— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) June 23, 2021

However, Chetshwar Pujara’s willow has been quiet since then. The batsman has failed to register a single hundred in his last 30 Test innings. Although Pujara’s approach of buying time in the middle has worked in the past, his recent failure to rotate the strike consistently has hampered the Indian team's run-scoring ability.

---

3 players who can replace Cheteshwar Pujara in the upcoming series against England

The five-Test series between India and England is scheduled to start on August 4 at Trent Bridge. With still over a month to prepare, the Indian team management should consider trying out a few options for the high-profile series.

The 20-man squad for the tour includes some viable options who are capable of slotting in at No.3.

In this article, we look at three players who can replace Cheteshwar Pujara in the starting XI.

---

#3 KL Rahul

KL Rahul has a Test batting strike-rate of 66 in England

The Karnataka batsman could be one of the candidates to fill Cheteshwar Pujara’s shoes at No.3. Although KL Rahul has not played a Test match for India since August 2019, his record in England might just turn the tables in his favor.

The 29-year-old has a decent batting average of 30 on English soil. Moreover, Rahul has a batting strike rate of 66 in England - a stat that might just prompt the Indian team management to try out the makeshift opener in the middle order.

---

#2 Mayank Agarwal

Mayank Agarwal has made a good start to his Test career

KL Rahul’s Karnataka teammate Mayank Agarwal is another option worth trying for in the coveted position. The 30-year-old has a good Test record with 1052 runs at an average of 46.

Although most of Agarwal’s runs have come on subcontinental wickets, the right-hander showed a lot of promise during India's tough tour of New Zealand in 2019.

He was the top run-getter for India in the series, making vital contributions at the top in testing batting conditions. Mayank Agarwal’s temperament should hold him in good stead for the England series.

---

#1 Washington Sundar

Washington Sundar could be the ideal replacement for Cheteshwar Pujara at no.3

Washington Sundar might just be the darkhorse who could solve India’s No.3 conundrum. An opener during his junior cricket days, Sundar is accustomed to batting in the top order and could relish the opportunity to come in at one down.

Given the top five in the current Indian batting line-up are all right-handers, the southpaw’s inclusion could provide an advantage for team India. The Tamil Nadu youngster has a solid batting technique and could be an ideal replacement for Cheteshwar Pujara in the middle order.

Sundar...Bahut Sundar..!!!

— Bishan Bedi (@BishanBedi) January 17, 2021