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| Pujara - a new wall in the making |
Debutant Cheteshwar Pujara proved an unlikely hero as India thrashed and demolished a toothless Australia by seven wickets in the second and final Test on Wednesday to sweep the series 2-0. Pujara hit a fluent 72 as the hosts, set 207 runs to win on a wearing wicket, cruised home soon after tea on the fifth and final day at the Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore.
Unexpectedly promoted to No. 3 following a first-innings effort that lasted three balls, Pujara betrayed no nerves and drove his third delivery handsomely to the cover boundary off Mitchell Johnson. The 22-year-old, awarded a Test cap only because Venkatsai Laxman was injured, hit seven boundaries during his two-hour stint at the crease and the introduction of Nathan Hauritz brought out the best in Pujara, who used his feet brilliantly to the spinner.
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| Man of the match and Series - Sachin |
A fourth-innings target of 200 or more is traditionally supposed to be a tough ask, but India have made a habit out of chasing them down - sometimes with ease, sometimes after a struggle. They've now done it in each of their last three Tests, easing past the finish line after a few tough moments in Colombo, winning a game no-one expected them to in Mohali, and cantering to victory in Bangalore. They've now won on ten occasions after being set a fourth-innings target of 200 or more, and seven of them have come since 2000.
Shane Warne tweeted and was aghast with the captaincy of Ricky Ponting - Yes, there were some strange decisions from the Punter, not the least of which was the early elimination of all slips fielders for the fast men when Australia needed to put the pressure on India by taking wickets.
...And to top it all, Aussies issues are not pleasant at all. - (a) They have lost all the test in a test series after 30 years (b) they will enter the Ashes on the back of three consecutive defeats and (c) they have dropped below England in Test rankings - the last one especially, which is an abstract concept but one that will frustrate Ponting's men as they aim to regain the urn. A more concrete measure of the side's current state could be seen in the disappointing form of several key players like Hussey, Clarke, Katich, Johnson
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