"He is not going to hurt you"- Glenn McGrath explains how Australia got the better of Cheteshwar Pujara
Former Australia seamer Glenn McGrath feels the hosts have done well to keep Cheteshwar Pujara relatively quiet in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar series.
McGrath talked about how the Australians identified the 32-year-old's weakness, and they have consistently attacked that line against the Indian batsman.
Cheteshwar Pujara only added 17 runs to his overnight score of 8 on the third day of the Brisbane Test. The batsman survived the initial hour but was caught behind off the bowling of Josh Hazlewood.
Glenn McGrath explained how the Australian bowlers have been patient and consistent in bowling to Cheteshwar Pujara.
"Pujara is getting out in similar ways, but they are all very good deliveries. They will probably get a lot of right-handers out. They are all around the off-stump, He is (allowing bowlers to bowl there consistently). He is not going to hurt you. If you bowl there, he is not going to score runs. So you can just sit there all day, and he will just bat all day, and he won't hurt you. And one just does a bit more, and he will be out. The bowlers have to be consistent and have to be patient and get that ball in that right area," McGrath said on Sony Six.
Even though Cheteshwar Pujara was dismissed early today, India have staged a dramatic comeback in the Test courtesy an inspiring 123 runs partnership between Washington Sundar and Shardul Thakur.
Cheteshwar Pujara fails to replicate his 2018-19 form
Cheteshwar Pujara was the wrecker-in-chief when India won the last Border-Gavaskar series 2-1. The Indian star scored 521 runs in four matches at an average of 74.43, including three hundred and a fifty.
Contrary to that, the 32-year-old is yet to hit a century in the ongoing Test series. McGrath believes the Australians have worked out his technique and have identified his weakness.
"I think the Australian team has identified that. They said at the start of the series, that they had plans for Pujara and that back hip comes around, you do square up and probably make those balls look better than they are and I think they have identified something and they have been able to execute the plans, and they have got the result they wanted," said McGrath.
Even without an in-form Pujara, India stand a great chance of retaining the Border-Gavaskar Trophy by either drawing or winning the final Test in Brisbane.
The match seems to be evenly poised with India staging a fightback on day three after losing Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Mayank Agarwal and Rishabh Pant.