New Delhi: The Indian team suffered a scare on Friday when talented batsman Cheteshwar Pujara sustained an injury while fielding and had to be taken off the field during the second day’s play of the fourth and final cricket Test against South Africa at the Ferozshah Kotla Stadium here. He is however now fit to bat on Saturday.
Pujara was fielding at short leg when he was hit by a powerful pull shot by opener Dean Elgar during the eighth over of the South African innings. Fast bowler Umesh Yadav was bowling at the time.
The ball smashed into Pujara’s left forearm just above the wrist and the Saurashtra batsman had to be taken off the field. He did not return to the field for the rest of the day.
The Indian team management later informed that the injury is not a serious one and Pujara will bat during India’s second innings on Saturday.
“Cheteshwar Pujara, who got hit while fielding at short leg, was taken for a precautionary x-ray. Nothing serious, it is a bruise. He will get treatment tonight (Friday night) and should be able to bat tomorrow (Saturday),” the Indian team’s media manager Nishant Arora told the media at the end of the day’s play.
As if the injury to Pujara was not enough, the delivery that hit him conceded five runs as well. The ball bounced off Pujara and travelled to Indian skipper Virat Kohli as the Proteas batsmen took a single.
While everyone rushed to check on Pujara, Kohli threw the ball towards the non-striker’s end where no one was backing up, to concede four overthrows.
