South Africa fast bowler Kagiso Rabada did try to break Cheteshwar Pujara’s concentration on the opening day of the second Test in Pune, but his tactics hardly bothered the experienced India batsman as he was ‘in his own zone’.
Rabada did say a few words to Pujara after dismissing him for 58, perhaps letting a bit of his frustration out as he was unlucky to get him on zero due to a dropped catch.
Pujara joins the party, brings up his 22nd Test FIFTY with a four 👏👏
Live – https://t.co/IMXND6rdxV #INDvSA pic.twitter.com/d7RviuPa7P
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 10, 2019
At the end of the day’s play, Pujara, however, could not recollect the conversation they had in the middle but admitted that for a batsman it is important to not get distracted.
“I can’t remember what he said. But he is someone who always likes to say something to the batsmen.
“As a batsman, I always know that he tries to disturb my concentration, not just him but any bowler who passes a comment (as you sledge to disturb batsman’s concentration), I try and avoid what they try and say,” Pujara said.
The 31-year-old right-hander also admitted that the focus should only be on the batting and not on anything else.
“If you are in your zone, you hardly hear what they are trying to say as you are too much focussed on what you want to do as batsman. You always communicate with your partner what you want to do so when you are in your own zone, you miss out what they are saying,” Pujara added avoiding any controversy.
Well, Mayank Agarwal scored his second Test hundred while Virat Kohli and Pujara hit gritty half-centuries as India dominated Day 1 in Pune.
