Former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara believes the Eden Gardens surface will grow increasingly challenging as Day 3 of the first Test between India and South Africa unfolds. He suggested that the game could become tricky for India if they lose a few wickets early while chasing a target of over 100.
At the end of Day 2 on Saturday (November 15) in Kolkata, India had South Africa reeling at 93/7 in their second innings. The Proteas hold a 63-run lead with three wickets remaining as they head into the third morning. Speaking on Star Sports, Pujara noted that batting would become tougher on the third day, especially after the first 30 minutes of play.
“On the third day, the cracks will open up even more. They are not going to close. So the wicket will get worse on the third day. The bounce will be up and down. The ball might not turn that much in the first half an hour in the morning,” the former India batter said.
“However, after that, this wicket will keep getting more dangerous. So the Indian batters will have to keep in mind that if they are chasing more than 100 and they don’t get a good start, this match could get stuck,” Pujara added.
“A 100-Plus Target Can Change The Game” – Pujara
In the same conversation, Cheteshwar Pujara stated that India must aim to dismiss the last three South African batters while conceding fewer than 30 additional runs.
“A three-digit figure can bring a huge psychological difference in this game. It won’t be easy if the Indian team is chasing even 120 runs. Somewhere or other, they would have to think that more than 30 runs shouldn’t be scored for the last three wickets,” he said.
The former cricketer, now a commentator, further noted that chasing anything over 100 would be challenging, emphasizing that even a well-set batter in good form could struggle to score on the Kolkata surface.
“It could be easy if they are chasing a total around 90, but beyond 100, it won’t be that easy for the Indian team because this is not an easy wicket. No matter how good a batter you might be, no matter how well you might be batting, and no matter what good form you might be in, it won’t be easy to score runs on this wicket,” Pujara observed.
Get the latest cricket news here, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more such updates.
