Cheteshwar Pujara took body blows in the fourth and final Test match at The Gabba as he scored a defiant 56 and laid the platform for one of India’s most memorable Test wins while chasing. It was Pujara’s knock that allowed Rishabh Pant to take the attack to the opposition and script a memorable win for India. Pat Cummins especially targeted his ribs and and fingers, however, Pujara stood tall and took them on. He took a total of 11 hits to his body-thrice on the helmet, once on the left bicep, thrice on the bottom glove on his right arm, and once on the chest, and some more.

After India won at The Gabba, Cheteshwar Pujara revealed the reason why he decided to allow the balls to hit his body and did not try to hook or pull the deliveries.

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“In case I took my hand up to defend it, there was a risk that I would glove the ball. Considering the match situation and how we couldn’t afford to lose wickets, I decided to let the ball hit my body” said Pujara.

Cheteshwar Pujara further said that he got hit from mostly one end of the wicket with Pat Cummins targeting his body. He further said that Cummins’ deliveries were spitting from a spot where there was a crack.

I Mostly Got Hit From One End Against Pat Cummins: Cheteshwar Pujara

“I mostly got hit from one end and that too against (Pat) Cummins. There was this crack on the pitch around the short- of-length spot from where the ball would just take off. Cummins has the skill to make the ball rear up from there and make it follow you,” Pujara was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.

The most telling blow for Cheteshwar Pujara was when one of Josh Hazelwood’s deliveries took off and hit him on the right-hand glove. He winced in pain and threw his bat off as the Indian physio ran to the field to see Pujara.

Pujara finally finished the series with 271 runs from four games at an average of 33.88. He hit three fifties in the series, none more important than the one at The Gabba.

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