'Play like Pujara and Rahane': Ex-India batter's old-school advice amid Test batting chaos
Former India batter Robin Uthappa critiques the MCG Test pitch as seam-friendly but not unplayable, attributing struggles to modern batting's lack of patience. He argues for a reset in expectations, suggesting 250 can be competitive with discipline, citing Pujara and Rahane as examples. Uthappa also lamented Joe Root's struggles, reflecting a broader concern about Test cricket's entertainment over endurance.
Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane (AP/PTI)
Robin Uthappa has delivered a sharp assessment of the MCG Test pitch, calling it challenging and seam-friendly but far from unplayable. Speaking on his YouTube channel, the former India batter argued that such surfaces appear extreme largely because modern batting has moved away from patience and problem-solving. Uthappa’s central argument is that teams need to reset expectations. On wickets like these, totals around 250 can be competitive, provided batters are willing to grind, show discipline and resist the urge to force the game.
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“See, it’s a dichotomous situation. It’s not like it’s an impossible wicket. There are such wickets in Melbourne which are very juicy for fast bowlers... I think it’s because of the way cricket is played today.
I feel like these pitches are unsporty, but if you have the right technique and the right mindset and the fight in you, you’ll be able to figure out a solution for this kind of a wicket also. It’s not a high-scoring game, but it’s not.
.. It won’t be a 300-plus game, but even a 250 on this wicket is possible. You gotta fight it out. Play it like Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane. Definitely, you’ll score runs,” Uthappa said. He made it clear that the pitch does not need to be “fair” in a balanced sense for batters to succeed.
According to Uthappa, players still retain control if their defence is solid and their mindset clear, allowing them to weather tough spells and inch the score forward. That is why he highlighted Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane as ideal reference points, pointing to their ability to leave the ball well, trust time at the crease and view pressure as temporary rather than decisive. Uthappa also touched upon
Joe Root
’s struggles during the second Test in Brisbane, describing the England batter’s dismissal as an unfortunate reflection of where Test batting currently stands. “I am saying this with a grain of salt because the way we’re playing Test cricket has now changed. I don’t enjoy it a lot, like Ashes Test matches that finished in two days. What are we doing to the sport for entertainment? Joe Root too lost in that Test match. He didn’t know how to play, play attacking cricket, or play his own way in the second innings. It was quite unfortunate... I empathise with them,” he said. Taken together, Uthappa’s comments serve as a broader caution. If Test batting becomes driven only by instant intent, difficult pitches will not just lead to lower scores but deeper uncertainty. And once batters stop believing there is a method to survive, Test cricket risks losing its defining quality: the ability to endure and adapt under sustained pressure.