IND vs ENG: “India must have better defensive players” - Salman Butt on whether Prithvi Shaw can replace Cheteshwar Pujara

Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt disagrees with Brad Hogg’s views that flamboyant batsman Prithvi Shaw can replace Cheteshwar Pujara in the crucial no.3 position in the Indian Test team. Butt opined that as Pujara and Shaw are contrasting batsmen, the latter cannot be considered a like-for-like replacement for the current one-down Indian Test batter.

Asked by a fan as to who could replace Pujara in the Test team, Hogg replied through a tweet:

"If anyone was going to replace Pujara it would be Prithvi Shaw. Feel he is more suited there than opening. Has a lot of talent and long future. He is not in the tour group but a wild card choice. #EngvIND."

Brad Hogg says Prithvi Shaw is the best option to replace Cheteshwar Pujara in the team 🏏🇮🇳Do you agree? 🤔#India #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/TbceowlJyO

— Sportskeeda India (@Sportskeeda) July 2, 2021

But according to Butt, India must look for someone who has a good defensive technique, if at all they are thinking of replacing Pujara. Speaking on his YouTube channel, the former Pakistan opener explained:

“Cheteshwar Pujara and Prithvi Shaw have styles that are entire opposite. One is a outright stroke-player (Shaw) while the other is an outstanding defender, especially against the new ball (Pujara). Prithvi Shaw’s technique is such that he plays his strokes rather freely and he plays all kinds of shots."

Butt further elaborated:

"When you play too many shots too early in Test cricket, at times, you struggle. Shaw may be an outstanding talent and could come up with something spectacular to surprise everyone. That possibility cannot be ruled out. But, I am sure India must have better defensive players, who can play the long innings.”

Cheteshwar Pujara hasn’t scored a Test century since January 2019

Since people have started forgetting. #Pujara #BGT2021 pic.twitter.com/O3uY0UkGXX

— Mukesh Srivastwa (@marvelousmukesh) June 27, 2021

Pujara was the hero of India’s Test series triumph in Australia in 2018-19. It was during this tour that he scored his last Test century. The 33-year-old Saurashtra batsman played a stellar role in India’s win Down Under earlier this year as well, wearing down the Aussie bowling attack with his dogged defence. However, he struggled in the home series against England, managing just one half-century across the four Tests.

In the World Test Championship (WTC) final against New Zealand, Pujara was expected to play a key role with his defensive technique under challenging conditions in Southampton. However, he was dismissed for 8 and 15 in the two innings.

Since his hundred in Sydney in January 2019, Pujara has scored 841 runs in 18 Test matches at an average of 28.03 with a best of 81.