Hyderabad: Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood asserted that he was relieved by Cheteshwar Pujara's absence from the team India for the upcoming highly anticipated five-Test against Australia down under for Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024.
Hazlewood recalled the previous instances of Pujara making the Australian bowlers toil hard for his wickets, and tired them in the last couple of tours. This will be the first time since 2014 that Pujara won't be travelling to Australia and participating in the 5-match Test series of the Border Gavaskar Trophy.
Pujara's replacement at No. 3, Shubman Gill, who got injured and fractured his left thumb will not be participating in the first Test at Optus Stadium in Perth on November 22.
"I am happy that Cheteshwar Pujara is not here. He is obviously someone who bats time and spends a lot of time at the crease and makes you earn his wicket every time. Has done really well in Australia on previous tours. I mean there are always first-class young players coming into the team. There is so much pressure to perform in the Indian team. With so many guys nipping at the hills all the time, so overall the playing XI is a mix of unbelievable players. So it does not really matter, they are all big players," Hazlewood said at the press conference.
Pujara, who has played 103 Tests, has been a leading run scorer in Border Gavaskar Trophy in the active cricketers. His record against Australia at their home soil, having scored 993 runs in 11 games at an average of 47.28. He was named Player of the Series during India's historic 2018-19 tour Down Under while played a match-winning knock in Gabba Test to help India secure a unimaginable win. In Australia, Pujara has scored five fifties and three hundreds.
