Ashoke Dinda recalls outsmarting Cheteshwar Pujara at Eden Gardens

Former India fast bowler Ashoke Dinda has recalled getting Cheteshwar Pujara clean bowled in both innings of a match played at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

Ashoke Dinda announced his retirement from all forms of the game on Wednesday, having represented India in 13 ODIs and nine T20Is.

Speaking to Sportskeeda’s Indranil Basu in an SK Live session on Facebook, Ashoke Dinda spilled the beans on how he outsmarted Pujara with a plan based on bowling outswingers. The pacer revealed:

“I got him out bowled twice, in both innings of a match at Eden Gardens, and joked that there is a small hole in the ‘wall’. We put a plan in place after a discussion with Manoj (Tiwary). There was a field in place for outswing bowling, and I decided to bowl only outswingers to him for the next 3-4 overs. So, he started leaving balls outside off-stump.

Ashoke Dinda further narrated about one of the two dismissals:

“ Then, I disguised one and slipped in an inswinging off-cutter, which caught Pujara completely off-guard, and he was bowled through the gate between bat and pad.”

The 36-year-old admitted that the ploy worked because his captain backed him, which he believes is very important for the confidence of any bowler. Dinda further explained:

“If the captain backs you, then it becomes easier to execute your plans. I earned the belief of the captain through my performances and thus he was willing to trust me, knowing I would do the required job.”

Ashoke Dinda’s Top 5 dismissals

Apart from Pujara, Ashoke Dinda termed the wicket of current Indian captain Virat Kohli as a special one, naming him among the top five batsmen he dismissed during his playing career. The Bengal legend said in this regard:

“I have dismissed Kohli in Ranji Trophy. He is also my first wicket in IPL. I will always remember the manner in which I got David Warner bowled. Then, there is Dwayne Smith and Wasim Jaffer. It is very difficult to dislodge a batsman like Jaffer.”

Congratulations #AshokDinda on a wonderful career! A great human being and friend. Wishing you all the best for the future.@dindaashoke pic.twitter.com/DWDpn29Khm

— Jhulan Goswami (@JhulanG10) February 3, 2021

Ashoke Dinda retired from the game as Bengal’s second-highest wicket-taker in domestic cricket.

In 116 first-class matches, he claimed 420 scalps at an average of 28.28 with 26 five-fors and five 10-wicket match hauls. He also turned out for Goa in the recent Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.