Hyderabad: Cheteshwar Pujara took more than 200 deliveries to score his half-century on the final day of the fourth and deciding Test at the Gabba in Brisbane. However, he took over 10 blows to his body and dodged the Australian bowling attack, tiring them to allow other Indian batters to score runs and pave way for the memorable victory.

Former Indian skipper Sunil Gavaskar was all praise for the gritty knock by Pujara. “Whatever you say about him, it will be very less. He had put his life for the Indian cricket team. He took so many blows, on the gloves, body and was hit on the helmet as well but he stayed there. Cheteshwar Pujara’s presence at the other end gives confidence to the stroke-players,” he said.

“Because of his presence at the other end, the young players, who are the stroke-players feel the confidence that there is someone who is holding one end and because of that his innings was extremely important,” Gavaskar added.