Asia Cup 2014: India vs Pakistan - Pujara can stabilise the shaky Indian middle order

Yet another below-par performance from the Indian middle order in the game against Sri Lanka sparked a bit of a debate as to whether Team India did miss their talismanic skipper in MS Dhoni. Folding up for 264/9, after reaching a position of strength at 175/3, and with Dhawan still there, it was hara-kiri on the part of the Indian middle order to cheaply throw away their wickets, which tilted the balance of the game in favor of Sri Lanka. And due to these kind of erroneous displays from the middle order, Team India have struggled to press home the advantage when the opportunities have presented themselves.

With the game against Pakistan literally being a do-or-die clash for either side, is it time for the Indian think-tank to invest in Cheteshwar Pujara, who can just keep batting, and ensure that the middle order doesn’t get blown away once again?

He needs to be utilized

Albeit Ajinkya Rahane and Ambati Rayudu are quality players, you don’t quite feel safe whenever Virat Kohli goes cheaply, and the batsmen to follow have a good part of 15-20 overs to play. In my opinion, there was a very fine line between the grandstand Indian victory against Bangladesh, which was engineered by a certain Kohli, and the same Indian batting line-up, which struggled to end their innings on a high against Sri Lanka, after losing Kohli with a good number of overs still to be played.

I’d inject Cheteshwar Pujara in place of Ambati Rayudu, and place him at no.3 in the Indian batting order. Virat Kohli loves batting at no.3 for India, and has made humongous number of runs at that position, but the situation demands this change, if India have to progress through to the finals of the ongoing Asia Cup. Cheteshwar Pujara at no.3 can just be told to hold one end, which he is very well capable of, and Virat Kohli at no.4 will ensure that the Indian middle order has much needed depth and solidified look to it.

Team India can’t afford to slip up against their bitter rivals, which would deny them a realistic chance of making it to the finals. Team India aren’t playing the brand of cricket that saw them have a delicious 2013 to taste, and this tweaking in the middle order is imperative at this point of time. It remains to be seen whether this Indian side is prepared to take tough decisions and stimulate a change in their own fortunes.

Pujara’s inclusion imminent!