Cheteshwar Pujara scored 123 runs, which included seven fours and two maximums. (Reuters)Despite a poor start in the opening encounter of the four-match Test series, India managed to reach a respectable 250 for nine on day one of the first Test in Adelaide on Thursday. As the wickets kept tumbling on the other end, Cheteshwar Pujara stood tall as he scored his maiden Test ton in Australia, 16th overall, helping India end the day in a positive note. The right-handed middle-order batsman scored 123 runs, which included seven fours and two maximums.
Pujara, who completed 5000 runs in Tests, was dismissed in the final delivery of the day after the batsmen fell short from completing a single. Pujara’s knock was appreciated by the entire cricket fraternity as they sent across the praise on Twitter.
Here are few tweets:
Pujara was like a sage on this first day. Focussed, determined and gritty . A knock to remember @cheteshwar1 #IndvAus
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) 6 December 2018
One the great guys of the game .. What an innings from @cheteshwar1 … Steve as the Yorkshire team call him as they couldn’t pronounce his 1st name … #AUSvIND @FoxCricket #Adelaide
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) 6 December 2018
It was a gritty innings from @cheteshwar1 under the circumstances. Congratulations to you on your brilliant century. Looking forward to many more knocks like this in the series. #AUSvIND #FightOfMight pic.twitter.com/MwhPN8BGW3
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) 6 December 2018
Brilliant from @cheteshwar1 ??
A quality ?? with wickets falling at the other end all day #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/qtnWW52H80
— 7 Cricket (@7Cricket) 6 December 2018
Pujara ???????????????????????????? ?? brilliant innings!
— Michael Clarke (@MClarke23) 6 December 2018
Pujara you beauty! ?? @cheteshwar1 #AUSvIND
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) 6 December 2018
Pujara’s innings ended with Aussie seamer Pat Cummins showed his reflexes on the field and struck a direct hit on the wickets. It was the 8th time the Gujarat cricket was dismissed by a run out in Test cricket.
Earlier, India found themselves in a spot of bother, losing half their side for just 86 runs on the board. But Pujara dug in deep and settled his feet in the middle to register his first ever ton in Australia, to save the day for the men in blue.
The Aussie bowling line-up proved their quality with Mitchell Starc, Hazlewood, Cummins, and Nathan Lyon all taking two wickets each in the day.
Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah will resume the Indian innings on Day 2.
