Cheteshwar Pujara Endorses KL Rahul For No. 3 Batting Position Ahead Of BGT 2024

Cheteshwar Pujara, a seasoned Indian cricketer, recently discussed the importance of the No. 3 batting position during a press conference at the Star Sports Press Room. Pujara, who has been India's reliable No. 3 for many years, will not be part of the squad for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) against Australia.

Instead of playing, Pujara will take on a new role as a commentator in the Hindi commentary panel for the much-anticipated BGT series. During the conference, he expressed his thoughts on who should fill the crucial No. 3 spot in India's batting lineup.

Pujara voiced his support for KL Rahul to take up this position, highlighting Rahul's experience in handling pressure situations against formidable bowling attacks. "I don't know the batting order, but I would prefer KL Rahul at No. 3. He has the experience to handle the pressure," Pujara stated.

KL Rahul has faced criticism recently due to a series of low scores and poor shot selection during the home Test series against New Zealand. As he prepares for this high-stakes series against Australia, all eyes will be on him to perform.

Pujara also mentioned another potential candidate for No. 3: Devdutt Padikkal. He suggested that Padikkal could provide a strategic advantage with his left-handed batting style, creating a challenging left-right combination for opposing bowlers.

The experienced cricketer explained that having both left and right-handed batsmen could disrupt bowlers' rhythm. "Padikkal might be at No. 3 due to the left-hand, right-hand combination," Pujara added.

Pujara further emphasized that while it might be easier for Rahul to bat at one down due to his experience, considering the left-right combo, Padikkal might be more suitable for No. 3.

IND vs AUS Perth Test 1 Innings

In the first innings of the Perth Test between India and Australia, captain Jasprit Bumrah chose to bat first after winning the toss. KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal opened India's innings.

Jaiswal was dismissed early without scoring any runs. However, Rahul showed resilience with his batting performance and nearly survived until lunch before being controversially declared out caught behind by the third umpire despite an unclear edge from his bat. Rahul scored 26 runs off 74 balls before departing.