‘Dropping catches wont help’: Cheteshwar Pujara slammed by internet

Cheteshwar Pujara has been at the receiving end of cricket
fans due to his poor patch of form. His total contribution to the Indian cricket team
in the ongoing Freedom Series against South Africa is mere 124 runs in three matches
at an average of 20.66. His highest score is 54, which he scored in the
Johannesburg Test. He has been under fire for his string of failures since the
2018-19 Australia tour.

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Now, on Friday, against South Africa in a series-deciding
third Test, Pujara dropped a sitter offered by Keegan Petersen, who scored 82.
Though Petersen was dismissed was by Shardul Thakur in the following over, it
was the second time Pujara dropped a catch in South Africa’s fourth innings.
Two dropped catches had surely hurt India’s chances in the match. For Pujara,
this poor show both as a batter and fielder would surely show him the way to the exit from the Indian team. With youngsters like Hanuma Vihari, who was excluded
from the side for the Cape Town Test, Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer waiting for
more opportunities, Pujara’s chances of playing for India in near future is slim.

Also Read: Watch | Keegan Petersen’s one-handed stunner to remove Pujara in 3rd Test

On Friday, after he dropped two catches, people on the
internet vented their anger on the cricketer and brutally criticised him. In
all likelihood, this poor string of performances will be the final nail in the
coffin when Chetan Sharma and his colleagues pick the squad for the next Test
series in India.

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The Indian cricket team has never given such a long run to a
cricketer despite failing to play big innings. In the last two years, Pujara,
along with Ajinkya Rahane, has failed consistently and found success not even
sporadically whereas it should have been the other way round.

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It seemed that team management and the selectors were bent on
giving them every chance to succeed. And they have been blowing those away.

Also Read: 3rd Test: Petersen shines, Proteas 111 runs away from series win vs India

India will next play Sri Lanka at home in February-March, and
Pujara is unlikely to find a space in the team.