Team India’s Mr. dependable Cheteshwar Pujara hailed all-rounder Hardik Pandya for showing fight to helping India stay afloat in the first Test against South Africa at Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town. Pandya’s all-round show (93 runs and 2/17) gave India some hope despite a 142-run for hosts.
“Everyone believed he (Pandya) can play such an innings and he played his shots and the environment in the dressing room became quite positive. Those runs were very important for the team and they kept us in the game,” said Pujara.
“If he hadn’t scored those runs, we would have been in trouble. So I think he kept us in the game and got us two wickets also at the end of day’s play. So his performance was outstanding,” Pujara added.
“It was a case of him playing his natural game. He is someone who likes to play his shots. That’s how he would bat in any situation. This was the ideal situation for him to express himself and the moment he tries playing his shots he has been successful” he added further.
