Final Test match will be played in Sydney
Team India has trailed 1-2 in the 5 test match series against Australia. Now the fifth and final Test match will be played in Sydney from January 3. Team India has to win this match at any cost to save the series. Before this test, a news has shocked everyone. Questions are still being raised about not including Cheteshwar Pujara in the Indian team. Now a new update has come out in this matter.
Gambhir demanded the inclusion of Pujara
After a disappointing performance by India’s batting unit, reports emerged that head coach Gautam Gambhir wanted to bring in veteran batsman Cheteshwar Pujara. Pujara played a crucial role in India’s series win in the last two tours of Australia. According to an Indian Express report, Gambhir wanted Pujara to return to the Test team, but the selectors rejected this.
Ajit Agarkar’s selection committee refused
Gambhir wanted Pujara in his team after Team India’s victory in the Perth Test. The selection committee headed by Ajit Agarkar did not accept his demand. Despite this, Gambhir raised his voice to bring him into the team. Rajkot batsman Pujara plays for Saurashtra in first class. He last played for Team India in the final of the World Test Championship in 2023.
You have to play according to the coach’s plan
According to the report, Gambhir has told the players that he had given them 6 months to play their own way, but now it is all over. From now on, any player who does not play according to the plan for the team will be called thank you.
Pujara’s tremendous record
The 36-year-old Pujara played a key role in the last two Australia tours. He scored the highest 521 runs in seven innings in the 2018 tour. He was awarded Player of the Series for this performance. He also scored 271 runs in the 2020/21 tour. Pujara is remembered for his role in the Gabba Test, where he played 211 balls to lead India to victory. Adopting a defensive approach, Pujara has proved to be a source of trouble for the Australian bowlers over the past few years. For this reason, it is also called ‘The Wall’ of Team India. Australia’s veteran fast bowler Josh Hazlewood, while talking to the media earlier, also expressed his happiness that he will not bowl against Pujara this time. He felt sorry for this. So if the Australian bowlers have such a fear for Cheteshwar Pujara, then the question is why the Indian selectors did not pick Pujara for this tour of Australia?
Under Gambhir’s coaching, India achieved these 3 records
In July last year, Gautham was made the head coach of Team India. Rahul Dravid’s tenure ended after the T-20 World Cup, after which he was handed the responsibility. Gambhir’s tenure will last till July 2027.
- New Zealand defeated India 3-0 in the three-match Test series. The Tom Latham-led team also won the first Test in India after 36 years.
- Before the series against New Zealand, India had not lost a Test series in the last 12 years.
- Lost the ODI series against Sri Lanka after 27 years.
Image Credit: Images/graphics belong to (Divya-Bhaskar).