 "Cheteshwar Pujara backs Indian batters to do well in Guwahati after Kolkata debacle. Image: JioStar/AFP")
Veteran India batter Cheteshwar Pujara believes that the pitch in Guwahati is good for batting, and India should feel confident while chasing any total in the second Test against South Africa . Speaking on JioStar, Pujara said that even a score above 300 will not trouble the Indian batting lineup.
His comments came as South Africa crossed the 300-run mark on Day 2, with Senuran Muthusamy and Kyle Verreynne holding the innings together. The visitors have batted slowly but steadily, and have also made sure not to lose any wickets in the morning session.
Pujara on safe score in Guwahati
Talking about the safe score, Pujara backed Indian batters to even chase over 350 runs in the first innings. Pujara also criticised the Eden Gardens pitch from the first Test, where the match was over in less than three days. He said that after batting on pitches like Kolkata, players often look forward to playing on wickets like Guwahati.
“On this pitch, even 325 is fair game for India. Even if South Africa score 350 runs, this Indian team is capable of scoring 400-500 runs. After seeing the pitch in the first match, batters always look forward to playing on this kind of wicket,” Pujara said on JioStar.
The pitch in Guwahati has offered less help to bowlers compared to the turning track in Kolkata, where both teams struggled to put on runs on the board. Despite the track being more batter-friendly in the second Test, India’s bowlers have done well to prevent the visitors from running away with the game.
Kuldeep Yadav has been the standout bowler for India so far, taking 3 wickets. Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Ravindra Jadeja have also chipped in with one wicket each. India are yet to strike on Day 2 as Muthusamy and Verreynne are rebuilding the innings.