Cricket
India are off to yet another poor start in the South Africa Test series.
Updated : Jan 24, 2018, 03:31 PM IST
Cheteshwar Pujara finally achieved a half-century in South Africa on Wednesday. But it wasn't one he'd be proud of.
The India number three batsman played his first fifty balls without scoring a single run. Yes, you read that right. Fifty balls without one run. He got his first run from the 54th ball he faced.
Indian captain Virat Kohli won the toss and elected to bat first in the third Test against South Africa in Johannesburg. The decision seemed to have backfired big-time as the visitors lost two wickets for hardly any runs on the board.
Twitter was frustrated with Pujara's uninspiring effort from the other end as the right-hander struggled to find the middle of his bat.
Watching Pujara Bat, right now. pic.twitter.com/PcqJodMfK0
— Trendulkar (@Trendulkar) January 24, 2018
Pujara is practising abstinence.....
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) January 24, 2018
36 consecutive balls without a run - THIS is now Cheteshwar Pujara's longest scoreless streak in a Test innings. Previous: 35 balls vs Windies, Jamaica, 2016. #RSAvInd
— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) January 24, 2018
Pujara's innings#SAvIND pic.twitter.com/N3OTPbWe42
— Bollywood Gandu (@BollywoodGandu) January 24, 2018
Most balls faced without scoring a run. Pujara is number 5 on that list. Come on, Che. Go on and beat Allott's record. We are waiting. @sumanthraman #IndvSA #FreedomSeries pic.twitter.com/eGODMaXIly
— Srini Mama (@SriniMama16) January 24, 2018
36 consecutive balls without a run - THIS is now Cheteshwar Pujara's longest scoreless streak in a Test innings. Previous: 35 balls vs Windies, Jamaica, 2016. #RSAvInd
— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) January 24, 2018
Quality 50 by Pujara. What a knock. 0* off 50. pic.twitter.com/QNxDmsKOvN
— Srini Mama (@SriniMama16) January 24, 2018
clearly pujara doesn't play for records #SAvIND
— Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75) January 24, 2018
In parallel universe
— NARESH (@connect2ns) January 24, 2018
Pujara playing with 100+ strike rate#IndvSA
Pujara is like a person who walks into a bank without an Aadhaar number.
— Ramesh Srivats (@rameshsrivats) January 24, 2018
Just can't open his account.
54 balls for 1 run.
— Sorabh Pant (@hankypanty) January 24, 2018
Totally worth it for Pujara to smile from ear to ear like he's scored a 500.#SAvIND
Pujara has faced over 50 balls without scoring.
— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) January 24, 2018
Most balls before first run in Tests - 79 balls by JT Murray in 1962-63
Most consecutive balls without scoring among Indians - 68 balls (at score of 9) by Ravi Shastri v SA, J'burg 1992-93. #SAvInd
Pujara moves to 1(54).
— Dennis Philander (@DennisCricket_) January 24, 2018
Deserves to go on and make a 2#SAvInd
Big mystery today:
— Sorabh Pant (@hankypanty) January 24, 2018
will we see Cheteshwar Pujara or Inzamam-ul-Pujara?#SAvIND
After winning the toss, Kohli announced two changes in the playing XI after the Centurion Test, with right-handed batsman Ajinkya Rahane coming into the team for Rohit Sharma while medium-fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar coming at the cost of spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.
Meanwhile, the hosts have gone for a single change with Andile Phehlukwayo coming in for spinner Keshav Maharaj. The Proteas have already sealed the series by winning the first two Test matches and are aiming for a whitewash.
Though, form is with the home team but history sides with India. India have played four Tests at Wanderers and never lost in any.
India: Murali Vijay, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (c), Ajinkya Rahane, Hardik Pandya, Parthiv Patel (wk), Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma.
South Africa: Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram, Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Andile Phehlukwayo, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada, Morne Morkel, Lungi Ngidi.
(Inputs from )