Cheteshwar Pujara: The quintessential Test cricketer

Chesteshwar Pujara's case is a phenomenal one in Indian cricket and it has come at a wonderful time. In a day and age where T20 cricket is more glamorous and rewarding, Pujara is a throwback to the times when Test cricket used to be the be-all and end-all.

Although Pujara is a misfit in this day and age, he is making Test cricket glamorous. After a not-so-impressive outing against South Africa and England in 2018, he will be raring to go all out against the demoralized Aussies.

An interesting facet about Pujara is that when he gets 100s, he gets big 100s. Not many in this day and age have the patience and hunger to do that. Pujara's is also an interesting case because it showcases the importance of first-class cricket.

It was critical for the Indian first-class system that he does well. If a successful cricketer in the domestic set-up fails to show up on the big stage, what's the point of that whole exercise? This also reflects how good India's first-class circuit is.

The Indian first-class system is quite robust- better than that of many other Test-playing nations. Even though there are some question marks, it has still produced guys capable of scoring runs at the highest level.

Pujara carved his niche as a quality Test batsman when he played an innings of 145 runs against Sri Lanka in 2015, which is still considered the most remarkable innings of his Test career. It came at a time when his name was not even considered among the top five batsmen in the Indian Test set-up.

The year was 2015. Virat Kohli was trying to build an attacking Test team under his captaincy. There was a clear shift in tactics, with a preference for stroke makers. It was hard for Pujara after a middling tour of England, a poor tour of Australia, a no-show in Bangladesh, a middling county season and being dropped for the first two Tests in Sri Lanka. It is always harder to make a comeback than to make a debut.

Pujara was made to open on a green track. The ball was darting around and the batsmen were never set on that kind of a track; a wicket-taking ball was never too far away. For Pujara to not only bat his own demons but to then bat through the tough conditions, it was remarkable. After a long time, the cricketing world witnessed an old-school Test match batting. If he hadn't played that innings, India could have easily lost that series 1-2.

Pujara is only a Test cricketer - something that is not discussed. It is tough playing only one format of cricket. There is a good chance that he can play only two Test series in eight months without any domestic matches in between and then be expected to stand fully prepared and Test-ready.

It is hard to retain Test form over a long period without practice. His numbers are outstanding at the moment and it has been judged keeping in mind that he plays only one format. For Pujara, it will always be a lot tougher than people who play ODIs as well.

Pujara's strength is that he is technically competent and has the ability to concentrate for long periods of time. He knows the art of batting time and tough sessions which are getting lost in this age and day.

He is happy to score ugly runs and is not someone who will choose flamboyance over effectiveness. It separates him from his peers and is a great quality. He still has some chinks in the armour which has often been exposed in the SENA countries. Often he leaves a gap between bat and pad which accounts for his dismissal. That said, the fans have seen him evolve from a domestic batsman to an international batsman and he is a player who keeps striving for improvement.

The upcoming 4-Test match series against Australia will be an opportunity for him to score some quality runs against one of the best bowling attacks in the world and stamp authority as one of the best Test batsmen going around right now.