4 slowest knocks of Cheteshwar Pujara in the Test format

Indian cricketer Cheteshwar Pujara is undoubtedly one of the best Test batsmen in the world. In 85 Test matches in his career, Pujara has scored an impressive 6244 runs in total. The Test format is a format wherein batsmen take their time to settle. However, Pujara was once dropped from the Indian Test team because of his dismal strike rate. Pujara has a dismal strike rate of 44.9 in the longest format of the game. In some Test matches, Pujara’s slow batting has sapped the momentum out of the entire innings. That said, here are 4 of Pujara’s slowest knocks in the Test format:

4. 24 (103) vs Australia

India got off to a terrible start against Australia in the 2nd Test of the 2018/19 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. India were 8/2 in 5.1 overs when Pujara stepped into the crease to bat. Facing 103 balls, Pujara managed to score only a meagre 103 runs in total. Eventually, Mitchell Starc dismissed Pujara in the 39th over of the innings. Pujara averaged a dismal strike rate of 23.30 in the 1st innings of the Test. 

3. 17 (87) vs England 

Pujara performed poorly with the bat in a Test match against England back in 2018. In 87 balls, Pujara could manage to amass only 17 runs in total. Pujara averaged a dismal strike rate of just 19.54. In the end, England went on to win the 2018 Test series against India by a score of 4-1. 

2. 10 (56) vs South Africa

Pujara looked out of form in a Test match against South Africa back in 2010. Facing 56 balls, Pujara managed to amass only 10 runs in total for India. Pujara averaged a dismal strike rate of just 17.85 in the Test match against South Africa. 

1. 11 (81) vs New Zealand

Pujara struggled to score runs in a Test match against New Zealand last year. Facing 81 deliveries, Pujara managed to amass only 11 runs in total. Furthermore, his below par strike rate of 13.58 clearly highlighted his ineffectiveness with the bat. This was Pujara’s slowest knock ever in the Test format. 

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