WATCH | INDvAUS: Kumble did THIS for the first time in his life to help Pujara overcome O'Keefe threat

Legendary leg-spinner and current India coach Anil Kumble went to the extent of bowling left-arm spin to help Cheteshwar Pujara overcome the challenges posed by Steve O'Keefe in the ongoing Test series against Australia. Pujara, who fell to left-arm spinner O'Keefe and premier pacer Mitchell Starc in the Pune Test, struck a gritty 92 in the second innings to set up a series-levelling win for India in Bengaluru.

He worked hard on his game following the Pune debacle and got the help of Kumble and fielding coach R Sridhar. O'Keefe had proved to be unplayable in Pune, ending with career-best figures of 12 for 70. In his bid to simulate what Indian batsmen will be up against, Kumble went to the extent of bowling left-arm spinners to Pujara in practice after the Pune Test.

"As they have a left-arm spinner, Anil bhai was trying to replicate that, coming from corner of the crease and angling into the right hander and try to spin it from there," Pujara told 'bcci.tv' ahead of the third Test beginning in Ranchi on March 16. So I was just trying to get used to that angle as well.

Sridhar was coming in from over the stumps, banging in short and just taking the ball away. The spin great even managed to beat Pujara.

"It was really useful especially Sridhar, he was really accurate. Anil bhai tried his best even though he is a right-arm bowler but he tried bowling left-arm spin and still was decent enough for practice. Yes, he did beat me. He knew where to bowl, the ball pitched on the rough and I stepped out only to get beaten," said the batsman.