On India’s third match against South Africa in the Freedom series, which is currently being held at Johannesburg, Pujara made a 50 he won’t really be very proud of.
This was not any batsmen’s usual 50 but rather something that many pray to avoid.
After playing exactly 53 balls from the South African side, Cheteshwar Pujara, the third batsmen from India’s side, hit his first run of the match. As bizarre and interesting it sounds, it indeed is true and we sure have all the facts adhering to it.
After Indian captain Virat Kohli won the toss, the team decided to bat first and since then, Pujara has just planned to be on the field for as long as possible, with scoring the least amount runs, as possible. By now, we’re pretty sure there’s hardly anything that can keep Pujara moving at an average speed or even somewhere around it.
In fact, when Pujara hit his first single of the match, people in the stadium as well as, in the green room were cheering hard for him. The same happened on social media, however, there was another level of excitement among the Twitterati. Check out some of the hilarious reactions on Pujara’s first run and his slow innings, in general, over here:
Bollywood Gandu on Twitter
Pujara’s innings #SAvIND https://t.co/N3OTPbWe42
Trendulkar on Twitter
Watching Pujara Bat, right now.
KAJALaneNENU on Twitter
Pic 1: When Pujara comes in to bat Pic1: When Pujara scores his first run #SAvIND
शिवम. on Twitter
Rare picture of Rahul Dravid with Pujara. #IndVsSa
Ramesh Srivats on Twitter
Pujara is like a person who walks into a bank without an Aadhaar number. Just can’t open his account.
I dont know anything. on Twitter
Best thing I like about Pujara is his confidence. Not saying because he is 0 off 46 balls. But because he has put himself on the IPL auction roster for 75 lakhs.
Mask on Twitter
When someone asks pujara to hit century. Pujara :
Suresh on Twitter
Dressing room scenes when Pujara scored his first run
Srini Mama on Twitter
Quality 50 by Pujara. What a knock. 0* off 50.
Navratna Wayne on Twitter
Pujara: if you don’t score any run, you won’t get run out. https://t.co/CbPkc0nfTN
Harsha Bhogle on Twitter
Pujara is practising abstinence…..
Amazing Ekta™ (Eku) on Twitter
Meanwhile Kohli to Pujara : #INDvSA #SAvIND
Kuptaan on Twitter
Cheteshwar Pujara 1. When he went in to bat. 2. By the time he opens his account
Gaurav Kalra on Twitter
clearly pujara doesn’t play for records #SAvIND
NARESH on Twitter
In parallel universe Pujara playing with 100+ strike rate #IndvSA
Sorabh Pant on Twitter
Big mystery today: will we see Cheteshwar Pujara or Inzamam-ul-Pujara? #SAvIND
Now, we don’t know how well and for how long would Pujara be able to maintain his slow-pace on the pitch, but we indeed hope for a longer time.
As for the match, the form is with the home team, however, keeping the stats in mind, history sides with India. Team India has played four tests in Wanderers and never lost in any.
Jyotsna Amla