Cheteshwar Pujara criticizes India’s bowling plans to Travis Head on Day 2 of 3rd BGT 2024-25 Test

India’s veteran batter Cheteshwar Pujara slammed India’s bowling plans to Travis Head on the second day of the third Border-Gavaskar Test against Australia at the Gabba, Brisbane on Sunday. Head scored a magnum opus knock of 152 runs off just 160 balls as Indian bowlers once again could not keep him at bay.

This was Head’s ninth Test century and his second consecutive against India in the ongoing series as he continued his purple patch against the visitors. 

However, the Indian bowlers were not patient enough in their approach and it was noticed that they were consistently altering the field.

Cheteshwar Pujara said on ESPN Cricinfo, “Our planning hasn’t been great against Travis Head. I know he has been batting well. He’s in great form – the way he is timing the ball. But last game, we didn’t bowl enough short balls. This game we did, but if you look at his scoring areas, which is outside off stump, that’s where we are feeding too many balls. That’s where we are bowling a lot more.”

Pujara said Indian bowlers should have kept the ball at the stumps against Head but they could not bowl in the right areas.

“I said this even in the last game that you need to bowl in the stumps. We need to attack his off stump, middle stump. I would even say that if you end up bowling on leg stump, that is still fine. Have four fielders on the leg side and have five fielders on the off side, but don’t allow him to score on the off side.

“He walks in after 30 overs when the ball is little soft. But, we need to learn to be a little more patient, bowl in that channel and make him drive a bit more,” Pujara added.

Head added a brilliant alliance of 241 runs with Steve Smith, who scored a fine knock of 101 runs to end his run-drought. Australia posted 445 runs in the first innings but India are struggling at 48-4.