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A week after arriving in India for what has been billed as the "final frontier" for the England Test team, their bowlers were given the chance to bowl to a potential top-order India batsman. They learnt how much a missed opportunity in the field could cost them as Cheteshwar Pujara, one of two contenders for the No. 3 slot in India's batting line-up, made most of his life to score 87 for Mumbai A on the second day of the warm-up game at the Dr DY Patil Sports Stadium. Thanks to Pujara's accomplished but understated innings and his 163-run association for the third wicket with left-hander Hiken Shah, Mumbai A ended the day at 232 for 4 in response to England XI's 343 for 9 declared. Despite being a Saurashtra player, Pujara was asked to join the Mumbai A team along with Delhi's Shikhar Dhawan on the recommendation of the national selection panel. While the newly married Dhawan failed to celebrate by making the opportunity count, Pujara achieved his primary objective - that of spending some quality time at the crease - during his 262-minute knock. England, on the other hand, were at less than 100%, with the seamers preferring to bowl within themselves for most of the day. To add to their difficulties, Stuart Broad did not bowl after tea and was sent for a scan on a heel injury after the close of play. The tourists' spin duo of Monty Panesar and part-time offspinner Joe Root could hardly extract anything off a slow wicket. As a result, after dismissing both the openers before lunch, England XI went wicketless for almost four hours. The most disappointing aspect for England was their slack fielding, which included a missed catch off Pujara's edge early on in the second session. Had James Anderson not dropped the "genuine edge" - as admitted by the batsman - off Panesar's bowling, England could have been more aggressive in conditions that were of little help to bowlers. Mumbai A were 60 for 2 then, with Pujara on 22. But by the time Pujara was dismissed 13 runs short of a century in an identical manner minutes before stumps, the damage had been done. While Pujara resisted playing shots for a better part of his innings, the cuts and drives started flowing once he crossed fifty. He took 140 balls to reach his half-century but the next 37 runs came off just 44 balls.
A week after arriving in India for what has been billed as the "final frontier" for the England Test team, their bowlers were given the chance to bowl to a potential top-order India batsman. They learnt how much a missed opportunity in the field could cost them as Cheteshwar Pujara, one of two contenders for the No. 3 slot in India's batting line-up, made most of his life to score 87 for Mumbai A on the second day of the warm-up game at the Dr DY Patil Sports Stadium. Thanks to Pujara's accomplished but understated innings and his 163-run association for the third wicket with left-hander Hiken Shah, Mumbai A ended the day at 232 for 4 in response to England XI's 343 for 9 declared. Despite being a Saurashtra player, Pujara was asked to join the Mumbai A team along with Delhi's Shikhar Dhawan on the recommendation of the national selection panel. While the newly married Dhawan failed to celebrate by making the opportunity count, Pujara achieved his primary objective - that of spending some quality time at the crease - during his 262-minute knock. England, on the other hand, were at less than 100%, with the seamers preferring to bowl within themselves for most of the day. To add to their difficulties, Stuart Broad did not bowl after tea and was sent for a scan on a heel injury after the close of play. The tourists' spin duo of Monty Panesar and part-time offspinner Joe Root could hardly extract anything off a slow wicket. As a result, after dismissing both the openers before lunch, England XI went wicketless for almost four hours. The most disappointing aspect for England was their slack fielding, which included a missed catch off Pujara's edge early on in the second session. Had James Anderson not dropped the "genuine edge" - as admitted by the batsman - off Panesar's bowling, England could have been more aggressive in conditions that were of little help to bowlers. Mumbai A were 60 for 2 then, with Pujara on 22. But by the time Pujara was dismissed 13 runs short of a century in an identical manner minutes before stumps, the damage had been done. While Pujara resisted playing shots for a better part of his innings, the cuts and drives started flowing once he crossed fifty. He took 140 balls to reach his half-century but the next 37 runs came off just 44 balls.
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