In the world of Tendulkar and Kohli, the records of players like Dravid, Pujara are overshadowed or plainly ignored. This might be an overrated statement yet at least a part of it is true.
Whenever there’s some danger, an ‘unlikely’ man rises, becomes the hero. Here Pujara is that man. It’s ‘unlikely’ because people who support him and expect him to perform is lower than the people expecting from Virat Kohli.
Still, Pujara tries to stand tall even when the situation and the condition are not supporting him. When the players struggle, he becomes extra careful and extra responsible all of a sudden. He, with belief and determination, from nowhere get to the driver’s seat of a sinking ship, grinds, stays calm, slowly pushes the ship to the land safe with utmost concentration and goes back as if he hasn’t done anything, gives credits to the others out there after doing the majority of the work.
His calmness and patience are always directed to the team’s benefit. He makes the bowler work hard by defending, leaving a bulk of deliveries. He eats deliveries but also the bowlers’ stamina. He makes them bowl to his strength, scores. While scoring, he puts the team first. Even in this match, When he needed a single for his ton, Pujara got to his hundred but did not celebrate until he completed the two runs. In fact, after running the first run, it was not the celebratory roar but ‘Dho, Dho, Dho’ was the first words that came from his mouth.
This knock might not stand as the best one in the history book. No wonders can be written off if Kohli or any other batsman scores in the next. For a man Pujara is, he doesn’t keep a count on these and silently gets back to the next match, makes sure his team is doing fine because he is not the slayer but our watchful protector.
