Cheteshwar Pujara: Indian Azhar Ali?

[Suleiman]

Really happy for him in making a ton today. Was kind of angry with VK for promoting Rohit ahead of Pujjy in WI when latter is a class test bat. But understandable since Rohitbis VK's friend.

But today after a long time saw Pujjy happy and he truly deserved this ton as he's had it pretty rough in the last 2 years or so.

In a way he reminds me of Azhar Ali who is more established now than Pujjy post England. Both are soft spoken, but have incredible resilience to just grind it out. Anf even when they have harsh criticism throw their way they respond with runs.

Let's see how Azhar does in Aus. If he does well then it should give some sort of reprieve to Pujara fans as they are so similar as batsmen and personalities.

A lot like Sami Aslam sees Kohli as a role model maybe the same case with Pujara seeing Azhar.

[ahmedwaqas92]

Azhar is the Superior bat, although I agree that Pujara might see AA as his Inspiration / Idol / Mentor. Good Thread Sully Bahi

[Rayyman]

http://www.pakpassion.net/ppforum/sh...rsus-Azhar-Ali

[Suleiman]

http://www.pakpassion.net/ppforum/sh...rsus-Azhar-Ali

I'm not versing them against each other. This is more about their similarities and the path of the calm and unhindered batsman they have chosen with Azhar as maybe the example.

[Junaids]

Very good comparison.

I admire them both immensely.

[Hamza_]

Azhar is a better batsman overall right now. But both are similar.

[Rayyman]

Pujara isn't a born leader like

[Chief Destroyer]

Pujara is comfortably better.

[OS_89]

One of the best players of spin in the world right now.

[Napa]

I would say both Ali and Pujara have exceeded expectations. Looking for Pujara to push his Test average above 50 (now at 49.22) and keep it there. No more careless run outs please!

[Bilal7]

The best player of spin in the Indian team. He is very similar to Azhar but the Pakistani is arguably better against pace bowling.

Can't believe he was criticized for his SR.

[Hasan123]

2 terrific test match batters. Glad that both have proven there critics/haters wrong.

[Macho Man]

Cheteshwar Pujara: The Superior Version of Indian Azhar Ali.

[Esfahani]

seeing azhar batting like pujara in the test in Karachi against RSA...

he is copying the pujara batting style very much (and finding success)

[MesonK]

Cheteshwar Pujara: The Superior Version of Indian Azhar Ali.

They have almost ditto stats with Azhar Ali having slightly better record in SENA+WI.

I cant post if you want. They are same men in two skins but Azhar Ali comes from a dark era of Pakistani cricket and has opened batting for almost his entire career.

[Ab Fan]

And Pakistani fans wanted Azhar Ali to be dropped.

When Shafiq was dropped, some were saying, wrong person has been dropped. Azhar should have been dropped.

Thankfully, PCB found some sense and didn't used their own cricket fans logics.

[Slim]

And Pakistani fans wanted Azhar Ali to be dropped.

When Shafiq was dropped, some were saying, wrong person has been dropped. Azhar should have been dropped.

Thankfully, PCB found some sense and didn't used their own cricket fans logics.

When shafiq was dropped, no one ever said wrong person has been dropped, they wanted Azhar to be dropped as well and rightly so. Azhar has turned into prime Shafiq which is one good innings per series. Lets see if this pattern changes.

[cricket.mad]

They have almost ditto stats with Azhar Ali having slightly better record in SENA+WI.

I cant post if you want. They are same men in two skins but Azhar Ali comes from a dark era of Pakistani cricket and has opened batting for almost his entire career.

Pajama averages 48 and azhar averages 43...its a very big difference

[Indiafan]

seeing azhar batting like pujara in the test in Karachi against RSA...

he is copying the pujara batting style very much (and finding success)

Funny stat is that Pujara's career strike rate of 45, is better than Azhar's of 41. Pujara is known for being incredibly slow

[Esfahani]

Funny stat is that Pujara's career strike rate of 45, is better than Azhar's of 41. Pujara is known for being incredibly slow

yea and Azhar is started to do that weird pad attempted shots against spin ... albeit not using feet as much as pujara.

[freelance_cricketer]

I respect Azhar Ali.

He may not be a trail blazer, which for that matter even Bobby ain't. Saeed Anwar is the last genuine trail blazing batsman from Pakistan, period.

What he does, it works for Pakistan.

[Abdullah Rabbani]

Currently there is no comparison between these two azhar ali average slumped from 48 to 42 in 2 year's as a senior he done nothing

[Hyperion66]

Funny stat is that Pujara's career strike rate of 45, is better than Azhar's of 41. Pujara is known for being incredibly slow

I don't have a spreadsheet to prove it but Pujara does play at a decent SR in India. He seems slower than he actually is as he plays in a team packed with free flowing stroke makers.

[MesonK]

Pajama averages 48 and azhar averages 43...its a very big difference

That's because Pujara got majority of his career at domestically doctored pitches where he is a certified HTB with average like 60 at home while Azhar played almost his entire career outside Pakistan (UAE is not Pakistan). He literally debuted in his real home at age 35 where is averaging close to 50. Had he got the chance to play in Pakistan for his entire career like Pujara then he would have been averaging almost 50 in Tests overall.

Where it actually matters, SENA+WI (Alien conditions) here are the records of these two men. Like I said they are same men in two different jerseys. Mind you Azhar has literally been opening for Pakistan for his entire test career. We can count how many times he has been out there in opening 5 overs of the game after Pakistan loses one of both openers.


Azhar Ali vs C Pujara (away in SENA+WI)

vs NZ .... 35, 20
vs AUS .... 52 , 47
vs ENG .... 33.2, 29.4
vs SA .... 17, 31.1
vs WI .... 41.5, 20.7

100s in SENA+WI ... 6, 5

Overall away Average 37.4, 37.7

[Pakhs]

That's because Pujara got majority of his career at domestically doctored pitches where he is a certified HTB with average like 60 at home while Azhar played almost his entire career outside Pakistan (UAE is not Pakistan). He literally debuted in his real home at age 35 where is averaging close to 50. Had he got the chance to play in Pakistan for his entire career like Pujara then he would have been averaging almost 50 in Tests overall.

Where it actually matters, SENA+WI (Alien conditions) here are the records of these two men. Like I said they are same men in two different jerseys. Mind you Azhar has literally been opening for Pakistan for his entire test career. We can count how many times he has been out there in opening 5 overs of the game after Pakistan loses one of both openers.


Azhar Ali vs C Pujara (away in SENA+WI)

vs NZ .... 35, 20
vs AUS .... 52 , 47
vs ENG .... 33.2, 29.4
vs SA .... 17, 31.1
vs WI .... 41.5, 20.7

100s in SENA+WI ... 6, 5

Overall away Average 37.4, 37.7

Azhar is over all better batsman no doubt about it.

[Pakhs]

I don't have a spreadsheet to prove it but Pujara does play at a decent SR in India. He seems slower than he actually is as he plays in a team packed with free flowing stroke makers.

Pujara SR is 50 at home... he has made a name for himself scoring runs at home.. Shame Azhar did not have the same comfort earlier in his career.

[Energy]

They are very similar. But play in an opposite environment. Pujara is surrounded by attacking batsmen in Kohli, Pant, openers. That makes Pujara valuable to the overall batting line.

Pakistan are playing defensive batsmen right through the top.

[Indiafan]

That's because Pujara got majority of his career at domestically doctored pitches where he is a certified HTB with average like 60 at home while Azhar played almost his entire career outside Pakistan (UAE is not Pakistan). He literally debuted in his real home at age 35 where is averaging close to 50. Had he got the chance to play in Pakistan for his entire career like Pujara then he would have been averaging almost 50 in Tests overall.

Where it actually matters, SENA+WI (Alien conditions) here are the records of these two men. Like I said they are same men in two different jerseys. Mind you Azhar has literally been opening for Pakistan for his entire test career. We can count how many times he has been out there in opening 5 overs of the game after Pakistan loses one of both openers.


Azhar Ali vs C Pujara (away in SENA+WI)

vs NZ .... 35, 20
vs AUS .... 52 , 47
vs ENG .... 33.2, 29.4
vs SA .... 17, 31.1
vs WI .... 41.5, 20.7

100s in SENA+WI ... 6, 5

Overall away Average 37.4, 37.7

As soon as someone talks about doctored pitches in India, where for over 10+ years now we have produced the most sporty wickets, where pacers do better than spinners, you know their rest of the post is completely nonsense and can be ignored

[Pakhs]

As soon as someone talks about doctored pitches in India, where for over 10+ years now we have produced the most sporty wickets, where pacers do better than spinners, you know their rest of the post is completely nonsense and can be ignored

Sporting wickets according to who? The pitches have always been turning from day 1 except maybe one or two against WI. It will be the same against England. However that's not called doctoring because turning pitches are the norm for India what is doctored in my opinion is what they did to SA a while ago where Elgar got a fifer LOL.

[Savak]

Pujara has played a central role in two major test series wins in Austalia. That triumps everything Azhar Ali has done in his life

[JaDed]

They are very similar. But play in an opposite environment. Pujara is surrounded by attacking batsmen in Kohli, Pant, openers. That makes Pujara valuable to the overall batting line.

Pakistan are playing defensive batsmen right through the top.

While thats true but it’s not like PCT has so many batsmen waiting to replace Azhar Ali, unless u r from @Junaids ‘ school of thought

[Energy]

While thats true but it’s not like PCT has so many batsmen waiting to replace Azhar Ali, unless u r from @Junaids ‘ school of thought

You can only accommodate one Azhar Ali or Pujara in the top six. Pakistan is carrying four. Pujara will thrive in the Indian test team environment, while Azhar will have to shoulder the burden of seeing the new ball, score heavy and make up for the others which he cannot.

While he was averaging 45 and playing alongside MisYou he was rolling along comfortably. Can't do that anymore.

[Ab Fan]

Pujara is miles ahead.

[avihash]

Can anybody post what exactly has Azhar Ali achieved ? Pujara has twin series victories in aus. Puj scores tough runs when they matter, all Ali does is score personal runs in a losing cause and then cement his place for 5 more tests.

[Mamoon]

Azhar is a poor man’s Pujara.

[leatherface58]

Azhar is a good player but Pujara is on another level. His powers of concentration and ability to not give his wicket away even after getting peppered by pace bowlers is legendary.

[Savak]

Lol Azhar Ali blocks many deliveries because he is a very limited batsman who doesnt have many shots in his arsenal and he is scared to play shots. Pujara has more shots in his book but a rock solid defense, he knows when to play certain shots to certain deliveries. Steyn, Starc, Hazelwood, Cummins have all praised Pujara as being a quality rock solid batsman.

[PakPremi]

Azhar is a poor man’s Pujara.

Record indicate other way though.
As far those saying Pujara won two series against Australia, then its not one batsman that wins but the team both batsmen and bowlers. Pak being a much weaker team get thrashed in Australia.

[Mamoon]

Record indicate other way though.
As far those saying Pujara won two series against Australia, then its not one batsman that wins but the team both batsmen and bowlers. Pak being a much weaker team get thrashed in Australia.

Yes. Pujara averages 5 points higher.

[Suleiman]

Pajama averages 48 and azhar averages 43...its a very big difference

Pajama

Show respect to the Indian hero. He is a legend after what he did in Aus

[Buffet]

They are on different levels.

One of them has spent considerable time in the top 5 ranks and the other has the highest career rank of 6 with pretty much the entire time outside of the top 10 ranks.

[Buffet]

One has spent years above the peak of the other.

[Ab Fan]

Pujara = Cook
Azhar = Bell