India won't repeat Adelaide 'disaster' in pink-ball Test: Cheteshwar Pujara

Cheteshwar Pujara
Cheteshwar Pujara

India's batting mainstay Cheteshwar Pujara is confident that the team won't repeat the Adelaide debacle in the pink-ball Tests.

The last time India participated in a day/night affair, it ended in one of the most humbling defeats in Test cricket.

Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins skittled the visitors for just 36 runs in their 2nd innings and helped Australia clinch the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar series.

The 3rd Test of the India-England series, scheduled for February 24, will be the first pink-ball match since then.

All eyes will again be on how Virat Kohli and co. smother the excessive swing and seam against the skilled English bowlers.

Talking to reporters on Saturday, Cheteshwar Pujara said conditions played a massive role in the Adelaide 'disaster' and the team will put up a better show in home conditions.

"It's a different ball game in Australia. The ball was seaming around a lot, we had one bad session which led to disaster. Overall, in the first innings, we were still in a dominating position. Here we're playing in familiar conditions, the ball is also different. We're very confident that we'll put up a good show and we'll not look back at what has happened in the past," said Cheteshwar Pujara.
"Experience doesn't matter a lot playing one-off pink ball Tests. It's Test cricket and we'll have similar game plans we had in the last match depending on how the pitch is," he added.

Cheteshwar Pujara has extended his rich vein of form from Australia to the home series v England.

The No. 3 batter made a classic 73 in the first innings of the first Test in Chennai and has looked solid in subsequent innings as well.


Cheteshwar Pujara's record in pink-ball Tests

India has played just 2 pink-ball Tests till now and Cheteshwar Pujara has featured in both of them. From 3 innings in these matches, Pujara has scored 136 runs including 2 half-centuries.

He would look to continue his fine performances and even reach three figures - something he hasn't done since January 2019 - when the 3rd Test starts on Wednesday afternoon.

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