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Lead conceded, but Pujara reckons India won the mini battles on Day 2

Source:PTI
March 05, 2017

'If we can get them out in another 30-40 odds runs, but you never know. We focus on bowling right line and length and wickets will come for spinners and fast bowlers if we continue the way we have bowled. We will have some different plan tomorrow'

IMAGE: India's Ravindra Jadeja celebrate with team mates after claiming the wicket of Australia captain Steven Smith during the second day of the second Test match at Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Sunday. Photograph: Shailendra Bhojak/PTI

The Indian batsmen have been outwitted by Australian spinners in the ongoing Test series but Cheteshwar Pujara insists that there is "nothing wrong" with their batting line-up.

After the first Test debacle, India were all out for 189 in their first innings and have already conceded a 48-run lead in the second Test.

That done, Pujara said they should not be labelled bad batsmen after failure in three innings.

"Most important thing was we did not have a big partnership. We kept losing wickets. There is nothing wrong with the Indian batting line-up. We are known to play better against spinners, apart from last three innings. We will have a better game plan in the second innings. We are confident that we will do well," Pujara said after second day's play.

The middle-order batsman insisted they have not lost initiative and actually the bowlers did a good job today.

"It was not easy for the fast bowlers as odd ball was staying low. They have put in a lot of hard work. Spinners did very well. You can see the run-rate; they were not able to score many runs. In a way it was victory for us. We bowled tight lines, even the lengths were very good. We bowled well and got six wickets but they did not score many runs."

Asked how the Indian players were keeping fresh since it has been a long season for them, Pujara said there were "enough" breaks in between.

"We enjoyed this particular season. Winning matches apart from losing a game. This team is strong and I definitely feel will come back in this particular Test match. We are still enjoying this game.

“The kind of success we had in the last year, and part of this year, we want to produce more good results and forget the last Test match. I am confident that we will come back in this Test match."

Pujara also said that India were looking to bowl Australia tomorrow within inside 300.

"If we can get them out in another 30-40 odds runs, but you never know. We focus on bowling right line and length and wickets will come for spinners and fast bowlers if we continue the way we have bowled. We will have some different plan tomorrow. We will obviously think about what we could have done better. Our bowlers have bowled every well. We would try to restrict them in another 30-40 runs," he said.

IMAGE: Matt Renshaw and Shaun Marsh run between the wickets as R Ashwin looks on. Photograph: Danish Siddiqui/Reuters

Questions were raised about India's use of Decision Review System (DRS) and Pujara said they are still learning to use it in a better way.

India's success rate has been poor in getting DRS in their favour an today also they lost both the calls.      

On Sunday, they let off Shaun Marsh on 14 by not reviewing the umpire's not-out verdict for a caught behind with replays showing the batsman had got a thin edge. Marsh went on to score 66.

"We have been working on it. There was one incident where Shaun Marsh was out and we didn't take the review," Pujara said. "This was the time when they were already five down and if we had got another wicket it would have put some pressure on them."

Pujara said the wicket got better for batting today gradually.

"There was enough help for Ashwin, but not that much for Jadeja at the centre of the wicket. There were some rough spots for Ashwin. The fast bowlers had to bowl more overs because the ball was keeping low.

"When we talk about the wicket I think it got better. When I was batting in the first session yesterday it was more difficult. Now I feel that the wicket is a little easier to bat on. So if the wicket gets better we will get good total on the board in the second innings," he said.

Source: PTI
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