Following India’s agonizing defeat in the World Test Championship (WTC) Final, the team came under heavy scrutiny, particularly for its batting performance. As fickle as Indian fans are, it might actually be time to look into other alternatives. As part of India’s famous series victory down-under, Cheteshwar Pujara hasn’t really had an impact in the WTC.
In 18 matches for the side in the last couple of years, Pujara has scored just 841 runs at an average of 28. What’s worse is his strike-rate, something that never seems to escape the public eye. It certainly feels like the touted successor to Rahul Dravid has his career hanging by a thread. The England series might be the final nail in the coffin for Pujara unless he pulls a rabbit out of the hat. In case he fails, the selectors have a few budding options to replace Pujara.
Here are 5 players who can replace Cheteshwar Pujara:
1) KL Rahul
Perhaps the best option in the list is none other than Karnataka batsman KL Rahul. He has been on the rise in the limited-overs format and his technique is stronger compared to the likes of Pujara. The 29-year-old has previously played on Australian and English soil.
Although his stats don’t necessarily inspire confidence, his stay at the crease in tough conditions has been comfortable. Out of five career hundreds, Rahul has scored 4 of those away from home. His average outside the subcontinent is on the lower side but he’s capable of playing the long innings at number three.
2) Mayank Agarwal
Another Karnataka batsman, who has had a very good career so far, is Mayank Agarwal. He debuted at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia and had a wonderful time in the middle, scoring 76 runs. In his short career so far, he averages 45.74 in 14 matches and has accumulated 1052 runs including two double centuries.
Granted his natural slot is of an opener but Mayank Agarwal certainly has the temperament required to play in place of Cheteshwar Pujara. He went out of favor owing to a poor series in Australia. However, for a batsman of such quality, he certainly deserves more chances.
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3) Hanuma Vihari
The batsman from Andhra Pradesh has been lauded by Virat Kohli in the past. He is very much capable of fulfilling Pujara’s role. Whether it’s playing out the new ball or holding the fort at one end. In 12 matches for the side, he has scored 632 runs at an average of 32.84.
Vihari has one century to his name, and it came against West Indies at Sabina Park. His composure, technique, and mental strength make him a perfect candidate for a Test player. The batsman from Hyderabad has shown the potential to bat anywhere in the batting order and will be one of the front-runners to replace Cheteshwar Pujara.
The 27-year-old’s innings at the SCG that helped India save the 3rd Test match should alone be enough for him to warrant a place in the side.
4) Priyank Panchal
The 31-year-old does not have age on his side, but his consistency in first-class cricket should put him on the selectors’ radar. He was Gujarat’s leading run-scorer in the 2016–17 Ranji Trophy, the year in which they won the trophy. Priyank scored a staggering 1310 runs in that season, with a top score of 314*.
The right-handed batsman is still going strong, having accumulated 6417 runs at an average of 46.83 in his first-class career. If need be, he can even roll his arm over for the team. Currently, he’s one of the five standby players in India’s Test squad against England.
5) Abhimanyu Easwaran
The youngster from Dehradun is making the headlines in the domestic circuit. His breakthrough season came in 2018-19 Ranji Trophy, where he scored 861 runs in 6 matches for Bengal. At the first-class level, Abhimanyu has played 58 matches in which he has amassed 4227 runs at an average of 46.96.
Since the 25-year-old has a lot of cricket left in him, it would be the right time to start grooming him for the number three slot. Much like Cheteshwar Pujara, the Bengal skipper has the happy knack of playing big innings and frustrate the bowlers.
Just like Priyank Panchal, Abhimanyu is also on standby for the Test series against England. Whether or not, he makes a debut is yet to be seen but he has already staked his claim for a spot.
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