Cheteshwar Pujara's strength is occupying the crease, says Sunil Gavaskar

Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul looked good as they played close to the body and didn't poke outside the off-stump. The next hour saw England's second Test hero - Chris Woakes - strike back getting Dhawan with a beauty and KL Rahul with an lbw (65-2). After coming one down on the crease, Cheteshwar Pujara played a very short knock of just 14 runs and failed to occupy the crease. However, to India's fortune, skipper Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane held the game well as they maintained a steady partnership to put England under pressure. 

Watching Pujara bat, Gavaskar feels that Cheteshwar Pujara could have done a lot more in the contribution of runs for the team. Gavaskar believes that Pujara didn't play his natural game resulting to which he was dismissed. He also mentioned that his mindset has been messed up big-time. 

“Pujara, whose mind has been messed up by having told about the scoring rate, went for a hook on the stroke of lunch and was caught at deep square leg. That's not his natural shot and just showed that when you try and tell a batsman to change his approach after he has got more than 4000 runs, it can be counter-productive. Pujara’s strength is occupying the crease so that batsmen on the other end can play shots around him,” Gavaskar said to the TOI. 

Gavaskar also mentioned that the loss of the toss came in like a boon as the pitch acted in the batsmen’s favour resulting to which the possibility of mounting a big number is possible.

“India losing the toss and being asked to bat first could well turn out to be a blessing in disguise for with the way the pitch has played the ball could turn for the team batting last and that won't be easy to negotiate,” Gavaskar noted.