"Told every bowler to just gesture the off-spin bowling at him" - Cheteshwar Pujara on unique sledging retort to star Aussie batter post BGT 2014-15
Veteran India batter Cheteshwar Pujara recalled how he would sledge former Australia opener David Warner with the off-spin gesture during the India-Australia Test series over the years. Pujara's actions, in his own words, were a resort to Warner sledging him during the 2014-15 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.
The resolute Indian No. 3 played in only three of the four Tests of the 2014-15 series, which Warner had reminded him of at the time.
In a conversation with Star Sports during the ongoing Brisbane Test, Pujara revealed:
"During the 2014-15 tour, I wasn't in the playing XI. I was carrying the drinks, he came to me and said, ‘You look good carrying drinks.'"
Warner's sledge stayed in Pujara's mind and he made it a point to remind the Aussie opener about his struggles against off-spin in subsequent meetings.
"Since then, we kept sledging. And every time, I would do this (shows the off-spin sign) because Ashwin would dismiss him the most. And I told every bowler to just gesture the off-spin bowling at him, because it plays psychological trick on him," he said.
"I used to sledge him at short-leg too. I won't elaborate more on that! But whenever Warner used to come to India, I kept reminding him that he would get dismissed to Ashwin the most." Pujara added.
Pujara has been a thorn in the Australian side over the last two tours Down Under, helping India to back-to-back Test series wins in 2018-19 and 2020-21.
The 36-year-old was the Player of the series in 2018-19 with 521 runs at an average of 74.42, including three centuries, in four matches.
What is David Warner's Test record against Ravichandran Ashwin and Team India?
David Warner finished his career as one of the greatest Australian Test batters, with 8,786 runs at an average of 44.59, including 26 centuries, in 112 outings.
However, the southpaw struggled against Indian bowlers throughout his career, averaging a sub-par 31.23 in 21 matches. Warner's poor numbers stemmed from his poor performances in Tests in India where he averaged under 22 in 10 games.
His battles against India's ace off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin were largely one-sided in favor of the bowler. Warner averaged a dismal 17.60 against Ashwin, with the spinner dismissing him 11 times in Tests.
The 38-year-old scored four Test centuries against India in his career but never managed a three-figure score in India.