IND vs SA | It was a joy to watch Rohit Sharma bat, says Cheteshwar Pujara

Rohit Sharma and Cheteshwar Pujara are two completely contrasting batsmen in any format of cricket. While for Rohit, hitting out and mesmerising the audience has been a regular body of work, grit and graft is the way for Pujara in any level of cricket. Watching the duo battle it out against the Saffers on a Day 4 wicket was a bit of an oddity but Pujara would take the pleasure of it.

"It was a joy to watch him bat. Hitting sixes is his strength, he has excelled in white-ball cricket. The way he hits sixes is incredible and as a Test batsman, who wants to improve his ODI and T20 cricket, there are a lot to learn from him. Especially, when it comes to hitting the ball out of the park," Pujara said in the press conference, reported Cricbuzz.

Pujara took some time to find his feet, something that one has to come to see from the Saurashtra man on a regular basis. After scoring just 8 runs off 61 balls, a point where Rohit had to mutter an expletive in order to push him for an extra run, Pujara accelerated pretty quickly, scoring three consecutive fours against Dane Piedt. From 8 off 61, Pujara picked up the pace and scored 41 off the next 42 balls where Rohit went 12 from 30 in this period. Pujara had a valid explanation for his own batting and why he took his time out.

"The way Rohit was batting, I felt we were scoring at a decent pace and I could take some extra time to settle down. He batted really well in the first innings also but in the second innings, the situation was different. (Especially), to play all those strokes that he did on this wicket. Our partnership was crucial. Our communication was good as he we have batted together since our under-19 days."