Cheteshwar Pujara hit his second successive century
Demonstrating intense proficiency, flair and dauntlessness on the tough track of Mumbai‘s Wankhede Stadium, Cheteshwar Pujara slammed another unbeaten century as India recovered from initial stagger to restore the balance on the opening day of the second Test against England on Friday.
The 25-year-old, who was adjudged man of the match award for his unbeaten double hundred and 41 not out in the series opener at Ahmeadabad, hit an unbeaten 114 and shared an unbroken 97-run stand with Ravichandran Ashwin (60 not out) as India reached 266-6 at stumps.
Cheteshwar Pujara, whose glorious 279-ball knock has so far witnessed ten boundaries, also becomes the third Indian to hit back-to-back hundreds in first two Tests against England, after Mohammad Azharuddin and Sourav Ganguly.
Ashwin, who came to join Pujara with India reeling at 6-169 thanks to off-spinner Monty Panesar’s four-wicket (4-91) burst, has so far hit nine boundaries in his stunning 84-ball knock.
Surviving a needless mid-wicket catch appeal at 94, Cheteshwar Pujara pulled pacer James Anderson for a boundary to advance into three figures for the third in his last four Test matches, having scored a maiden century (159) against New Zealand in August.
Earlier, opted to bat, hosts got off to a disastrous start as Gautam Gambhir was snared leg-before off Anderson off the second delivery of the innings.
Virender Sehwag, playing his 100th Test, failed to make impact and bowled out off Panesar after scoring 30 off 43 balls.
India had not yet recovered from the early blows when Panesar struck again to nettle the stumps of Sachin Tendulkar (12), leaving India 3-60.
This time Virat Kohli came to join well-set Pujara and steadied the innings with a 48-run fourth-wicket stand but former, who hit three boundaries in his 55-ball 19, perished off Panesar shortly after lunch.
Spinner Graeme Swann extended Indian misery by bowling out Yuvraj Singh for duck. Cheteshwar Pujara then combined with skipper MS Dhoni (29) to put up a valuable partnership of 50 runs before a Panesar edged the latter Swann in slips to complete his 11th five-wicket haul in Tests.
India are leading the series 1-0 four-Test series after winning the series opener by 10 wickets.