Cheteshwar Pujara once slammed a six after a hilarious message from Rohit Sharma
It is rare that Cheteshwar Pujara hits a six in a Test match, but the ability for the big shots was always there. One such instance where the solid batter showed aggression was during the 2023 Border-Gavaskar Trophy when India needed quick runs.
However, the attacking instincts were shown only after a message from captain Rohit Sharma, who himself has been dismissed nine times in 19 innings against Australian spinner Nathan Lyon. The Indian skipper opened up about his frustration when Pujara was playing at his usual tepid rate.
India was on the verge of a rare home Test defeat in the third match of series in Indore with the team having been reduced to seven wickets with just 140 runs on the board in the second innings when Pujara and all-rounder Axar Patel's cautious play against Lyon miffed Sharma, who evidently wanted the two to change gears. As the cameras panned on the captain, Sharma was be seen passing messages to substitute Ishan Kishan, who stepped onto the field to convey them. It worked as Pujara slammed a six against Lyon over long on and Sharma was seen smiling. Though India went on to lose the Test, the moment is remembered on social media.
'We wanted to get Nathan Lyon off the track a little bit. We wanted to get some runs quickly,' revealed Sharma during the book launch of 'The Diary of a Cricketer's Wife', written by Pujara's wife, Puja, in Mumbai.'We probably were looking at declaring or something. We were like… 'no, something needs to change now. Maybe, a message would do good'. The entire time, he was bowling with mid-on up. I was like, 'he's not that good of a bowler to keep mid-on up'. I know it was a challenge, the pitch was turning square, but we needed to get runs quickly. So I had to send Ishan,' Sharma said. said.Sharma cheekily said that it wasn't always that batters (himself included) received the messages from the dressing room with both hands.
'It's one thing that we send messages. The most important thing is.. sometimes what batters do is whenever someone comes out with a message, we know exactly why he's there. So I would stop him there only!' Sharma added.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Diamond Harbour FC stun Jamshedpur FC to make Durand Cup semis
Jamshedpur FC 's first match since their head coach Khalid Jamil left the club to take charge of the Indian national team ended in a shock as Durand Cup debutants Diamond Harbour FC knocked them out in the quarterfinals in Jamshedpur on Sunday. Playing at the JRD Tata Complex, the team from West Bengal rode the brace of unlikely hero Sairuat Kima, who hails from Mizoram, to register the biggest shock of the tournament and stun the hosts 2-0 in front of a raucous crowd and make it to the semifinals. It was in the third minute itself that the visitors silenced the home fans as the defender from the northeast state netted from close quarters following a long throw that unsettled the home side. Kima was unmarked, and he made sure to put it past JFC goalkeeper Amrit Gope. As the hosts tried to get back into the game and solidified their midfield, Diamond Harbour scored their second of the match in the 41st minute. This time it was on the counter. After Samuel Lalmuanpuia lofted a cross from the right flank, it deflected into Kima's path, and he volleyed it clinically into the net doubling the visitors' advantage. Steven Dias, who took over the Indian Super League side on an interim basis, did his best to motivate his players in the second half and they did show a lot of fight. But they just couldn't find the target. The clearest opening came when Mohammed Sanan cut inside and played a low shot. However, Diamond Harbour goalkeeper Mirshad Michu got down sharply to keep it away and then sprang up to palm away VP Suhair's volleyed follow-up in a superb double save that preserved the two-goal cushion. In the end, the Kibu Vicuna-coached side held on for one of their greatest wins as not only Kima's brace but also their defensive effort played a huge role in beating JFC at the Furnace. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
The Hindu
2 hours ago
- The Hindu
ICC mourns Bob Simpson's death, remembers his contributions
The ICC on Sunday (August 17, 2025) condoled the demise of former Australia captain Bob Simpson, highlighting his contribution as a player, captain and coach during the team's rise to the peak of world cricket through the 1990s. Simpson, one of the most influential figures in Australian cricket, died on Saturday at the age of 89. In a statement, ICC chairman Jay Shah praised Simpson's contributions and said he would be long remembered. "Bob Simpson was one of the true greats of our sport, and it is deeply saddening to learn of his passing. His legacy is immense. As a player, captain, and later as a coach, he shaped Australian cricket and inspired the global game," Shah said in the statement. "He nurtured and guided a generation of players who went on to become legends in their own right, and his influence extended far beyond the field. "On behalf of the International Cricket Council, I extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and the entire cricket fraternity. His passing is a profound loss for the game, but his contributions will always be remembered and cherished," he added. An ICC Hall of Famer, Simpson played 62 Tests for Australia between 1957 and 1978, scoring 4,869 runs at an average of 46.81 with 10 centuries, 27 half-centuries and a highest score of 311. A fine leg-spinner, he took 71 wickets at 42.26 with two five-wicket hauls and best figures of five for 57. He was also an astute fielder, taking 110 catches. After retiring in 1968, Simpson made a famous comeback as Test captain in 1978 at the age of 41, to lead a weakened Australia side. After retirement, he became Australia's first full-time coach and was also a national selector. He finished with 10 Test centuries, scoring all of them while he was leading the Australian team, including 311 against England in Manchester in 1964.
New Indian Express
3 hours ago
- New Indian Express
World C'ships an opportunity for Lakshya to turn things around: Coach Vimal
CHENNAI: The season so far has been an immense slog for badminton ace Lakshya Sen. Victories have been at a premium and the shuttler, despite his unarguable talent, has largely been at sea while trying to navigate high-intensity matches inside the court. But that narrative can change in no time. With the all-important World Championships in Paris around the corner, Lakshya will be hoping to buck the trend. With the gold-standard event in mind, the shuttler from Almora is currently training in Paris alongside some of the elite French players. The Indian, who celebrated his 24th birthday on August 16, will be returning to a venue — Porte de La Chapelle Arena — where he had narrowly missed out on an Olympic medal last year. Having said that, he has also tasted success there, having reached the semifinals of the French Open in summer last year. And the Indian had shown some form during his last outing — Macau Open, gaining crucial match-practice in the process. However, he has to be near-flawless from the onset during the BWF Grade 1 event — scheduled to be held from August 25 to 31 — as he will be facing China's Shi Yu Qi, who has been one of the standouts of the season so far with four titles to his name. The odds are clearly stacked against Lakshya but a victory against the World No 1 shuttler could just be the kick he needs. U Vimal Kumar, Lakshya's coach at the Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy (PPBA), concurred. "It's an opportunity (for Lakshya). That's what I told him the moment I saw the draw. He said everything is going well. Shi Yu Qi is someone whom he has beaten before. The top-30 players who'll be playing in the event, Lakshya has beaten all of them. He can beat any of them but he has to convert his chances. The top guys are also vulnerable and they'll be under pressure. Shi can also be under pressure. He knows Lakshya's strengths and it's going to be a tough match. If Lakshya can play fearlessly and pull off a win, it will be a good breakthrough," Vimal told this daily. Lakshya this season has either struggled to get his engine burning, going by his early exits or he has seemed to be lacking ideas during the business end of sweat-dripping matches. Vimal, who has been regularly looking to motivate his ward, said that is the issue that he's trying to address at the moment. "He needs match-practice. Training is not new, he has been doing that for long. He has been looking to work on dealing with different situations, how you employ yourself and pull off wins. He has been faltering in those closing stages. That is an area that they're trying to get better at, to understand when to push the pace, when to keep the shuttle in play without making mistakes when under pressure. That he can only gain in the practice that he's getting over there as there are quite a lot of other elite players who're also practising there. He has to figure things out, everything can't be coached."
