"There is no question about it" - Cheteshwar Pujara picks India's bowling attack for 2nd BGT 2024-25 Test

Veteran Indian batter Cheteshwar Pujara reckons the visitors must not change their bowling attack for the second 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test against Australia in Adelaide. The 36-year-old backed the visitors to retain Nitish Kumar Reddy and Harshit Rana after their impressive Test debuts in Perth.

Reddy and Rana played significant roles in the visitors' 295-run triumph in the first Test. The visitors also made the bold decision to drop Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja in favor of all-rounder Washington Sundar, who impressed in the home Tests against New Zealand.

Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Pujara opined that there is no reason for Team India to change their bowling line-up. Praising India's pace bowling attack, he stated:

"There is no question about it. This bowling attack has given us success. [Jasprit] Bumrah looked really good. [Mohammed] Siraj was very good. And then it was supported by Harshit. He bowled really well, you have to accept that. He was playing his first game [for India]; still he ended up pitching the ball up."

"In Australia, it's very easy to get carried away and sometimes when you look at the pace of the pitch, it offers a bit more extra bounce... But he was still looking to hit the right spot, good length, try and hit the top of off, and he has that ability. So I think we should carry on with the same bowling attack. And Nitish also, he had a bit of a bowl," Pujara added.

Reddy contributed 41 & 38* in Perth and picked up a wicket in the second innings. The other debutant, pacer Rana, impressed with 3-48 in the first innings and picked up the last wicket to fall in the second.

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"Washy should be our spinner" - Pujara backs all-rounder for pink-ball Test

Of all the bowlers India used in Perth, off-spinner Sundar had limited impact. He bowled only two overs in the first innings and picked up 2-48 in the second. Despite some clamor to bring back either Ashwin or Jadeja for the Adelaide Test, Pujara backed Sundar to retain his place as he feels India might need his batting skills in the pink-ball Test.

"He [Washington] didn't look really good when he started his bowling, but eventually he got a couple of wickets, he varied his pace, so Washy should be our spinner because he can bat well. The reason he was chosen in this squad is because he can bat. It will be important in the second Test match that, in case we lose a few wickets early, if the lower-middle order needs to contribute, Washington can do that role," the veteran Saurashtra cricketer stated.

Before the pink-ball Test gets underway in Adelaide, India will play a two-day pink-ball warm-up match against a Prime Minister's XI in Canberra on November 30 and December 1.