'Reading the game is everything....' - Cheteshwar Pujara opens up on debate surrounding his strike rate in Test matches

Cheteshwar Pujara opened up about his thoughts on Test cricket in modern times. Currently, the craze for the T20s and limited overs format often results in empty stadiums in Test matches. Test matches in subcontinent regions saw a significant dip in terms of live audiences in the stadium.

For which many experts believed the batting style in the longest format of the game can influence the visitors. On the other hand, the amount of success India got in the limited overs of cricket in recent times did not manage to achieve the same in the Tests.

 India, with so many talents in cricket, lacks a bunch of players who can perform significantly across all formats. Batter, who did well in T20s and ODIs, had struggled visibly in whites. Cheteshwar Pujara shared his thoughts about how to bat in Tests.

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According to the right-handed batter, it is not necessary to bat with a low strike rate even in Tests; if the surface is flat and easy to bat on, batters can open their arms and score runs with good strike rates as well. How to bat on Tests mostly depends on the circumstances and how the bowler is delivering.

Pujara explained how to bat in Tests

Pujara said in a conversation, "Saying that only aggressive cricket can take Test matches forward isn’t entirely true. The real key to success in tests is playing according to the situation. That doesn’t always mean slowing down—sometimes, you should be scoring at an 80 or even 100 strike rate, especially on a flat wicket, but when conditions are tough and the bowlers are on top, you’ve got to respect that."

He further added, "It’s about absorbing pressure when needed and cashing in when the moment’s right. That’s especially important in places like SENA countries, where the new ball can be a real handful. Reading the game is everything."