WTC final | Sachin Tendulkar backs Pujara's methods, suggests India to play both Ashwin, Jadeja

Batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar has thrown his weight behind India’s number three in the longest format Cheteshwar Pujara and said that the world should be far more appreciative of his efforts and achievements rather than putting his batting under the scanner every now and then.

Pointing out the role he performs for the Virat Kohli-led Indian side that possesses assembly lines of stroke players such as Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Tendulkar said that Pujara has fit in perfectly with the role of providing a solid foundation at the top of the order over the past number of years.

"I think we should appreciate what Cheteshwar Pujara has been able to achieve for India. It's not always going about and maintaining a strike rate and in Test cricket, you need different kind of planning and different kind of players to fit into your team," Tendulkar said in an interview with PTI.

"It’s like five fingers in your hands. Each finger has a different role and Pujara is an integral part of our team. I really like what Pujara has done for India. Rather than scrutinising his each innings, we should be appreciative of what he has done for India," Tendulkar added on the prowess of India's number 3.

Expressing his hard discontent words the critics of Pujara, Tendulkar said that people who are judging his batting credentials have not played enough game at the top level to understand its nuances. 

He also blamed the change in the thought process of followers of the game in the contemporary era of cricket dominated by T20s where batsmen are judged on the basis of their hard-hitting abilities. He said that the instant gratification mentality is behind people questioning Pujara’s strike rate and at times inability to get things going at a brisk pace.

"Guys who are digging deep into his technique and rotation, I don't think those guys have played as much top level cricket as Pujara. They possibly don't understand. In today's age of T20, probably if someone can hit the ball, he is regarded as a good player. It is not necessary that person has to be a good Test player. In Test cricket, you need much more than just hitting the ball and trying to play big shots,’ one of the best batsman to have ever played the game said.

He pointed out that India have Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja too, who have the task of enforcing the pace of the game and scoring quickly to change the momentum. However, Pujara’s role is to blunt the new ball and tire the opposition bowling attack so as the aggressive batsmen can cash in on a bit less intense bowling lineups.

"For strike-rate, we have players like Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja. They can always increase the strike rate. But when it comes to tire the opposition and where you require planning and vision to execute whatever your strategies are, for that you need a Cheteshwar," said Tendulkar.

India have a problem of plenty going into the World Test Championship final against New Zealand but for Tendulkar, both Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin should play the big game as they can provide solidity to the lower order along with the wickets they can take with the ball. He said that India should field a bowling attack comprising of two spinners and three pacers.

"The possibility, according to me, is to play three fast bowlers and two spinners because both (Ashwin and Jadeja) can bat. Eventually how the team management feels after looking at the wicket matters," Tendulkar said.

India have to ponder over the three pacers in the lineup as well as the newest member with the ball Mohammed Siraj, who contributed immensely to help India win the series in Australia in the absence of all senior members of the attack such as Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah and Umesh Yadav.