IND vs SA 2nd Test: Before the fifth day of the Guwahati Test, Cheteshwar Pujara issues a severe warning to the Indian batsmen, saying, “They Need To.”

IND vs SA 2nd Test: According to former Indian batsman Cheteshwar Pujara, the Indian batsmen’s strategy for the remainder of the Test match should be straightforward: they should concentrate on batting effectively rather than worrying about the enormous objective. Pujara emphasized that concentrating on the aim would only worsen an already inadequate batting lineup since the hosts are about to lose another Test series at home.

The Proteas set a goal of 549 runs for India and proclaimed their second innings objective at 260/5. On day four, the hosts were struggling at 27/2 till the very end of the chase after openers KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal were dismissed early. When the Indian bowlers were bowling, the surface seemed benign; but, when the Protea fast bowlers were bowling, it turned bowler-friendly, demonstrating India’s vulnerability under pressure.

According to Pujara, the host can only recover by playing like Test batsmen and ignoring the scorecard in an interview with Star Sports.

Since victory usually comes in the end, it seems like the Indian team should focus more on batting well in the first place and less on winning this match. Additionally, Pujara was reported by Star Sports as stating, “If you look at that scorecard, when a number like 400-plus comes to your mind, your focus automatically shifts away from batting and more towards the final result—and that’s when your batting can never really be good.”

Pujara, who is renowned for his ability to bat for extended periods of time during a Test match, emphasized the need to be in the moment and form alliances even when circumstances are not favorable.

So stop thinking about the scorecard. When you get the chance to bat, concentrate only on your batting. In these circumstances, every game matters, so focus on the one in front of you. Look at the outcome only after you have tried to establish alliances. Just concentrate on hitting properly for the time being,” he said.

He made these remarks in response to criticism of Indian Test batsmen, who have struggled against outstanding bowling attacks and have failed to reach 300 runs in any one innings. The current Test match has only highlighted the Indian team’s decline from its home field, as the experienced hitters have failed to produce and the young players have been unreliable.

The top order fell once again on a surface that was batter-friendly while the Proteas were batting, and the hosts were reeling at 27/2 by the close of Day 4.