Pujara is fit for third Test, says Dhawan

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The suspense over Cheteshwar Pujara’s extent of injury ended today with teammate Shikhar Dhawan confirming the Indian middle-order mainstay’s participation in the third cricket Test against Australia, starting here tomorrow.

“Pujara is fit and ready to play,” Dhawan, who will be making his Test debut tomorrow, told reporters. Initially though, the Delhi left-hander was reluctant in answering Pujara’s status.

“You have to ask the physio for that,” was Dhawan’s answer. Architect of India’s victory in the second Test in Hyderabad, Pujara was hit on the left knee by a local pace bowler while batting in the nets yesterday.

The batsman, who had cracked a magnificent double century in Hyderabad, looked in considerable pain and he was forced to leave the nets. After getting medical attention, Pujara had his left-knee strapped and didn’t take any further part in the training session.

He was seen initially walking with a slight limp before choosing to lie on a bench adjacent to the nets. As the net session ended, he got up and was seen walking back with his gears into the dressing room. However, today morning, the batsman batted in the nets for a while before going for a catching practice session with the fielding coach Trevor Penney, almost putting to rest speculations about his participation.

The conformation came a little while later. Pujara has been a bane for the Australian bowlers so far in the series, scoring runs at the crucial number three position.