When did Cheteshwar Pujara work out how to bat outside India?

Pujara has now scored three centuries in India's four-match series away to Australia, before the series he had only scored two, and averaged just 29.38 outside the subcontinent

Was it really any surprise when Cheteshwar Pujara brought another up century as he clipped Mitchell Starc down to the fine-leg boundary for four? It was his third hundred of the series – Virat Kohli is the only other man to have even scored one.

“Aren’t you bored yet?” asked Nathan Lyon to the seemingly unflappable Pujara when he was stood at the non-striker’s end. He finished the first day of the fourth Test 130 not out – clearly not bored yet.

Pujara has (so far) racked up 458 runs at an average of 76.33, which is just under double what Kohli has managed, and is over double what Australia’s leading run-scorer Travis Head has scored.

He has faced 1,135 balls, more than any other batsman in the series. To put that tally into a greater historical context, of touring batsman who have played four or more Tests in a series in Australia, only Rahul Dravid and Herbert Sutcliffe have faced more.

Articles have highlighted how Pujara’s success has made the case for the use of a more patient method in Test cricket, and it is true that the only other batsman who might deem this tour a success so far would be Kohli, who has been playing in a similar manner.

^{Cheteshwar Pujara has faced 1135 ball, more than any other batsman in the series}

Pujara has been scoring at a rate of 40.35, while Kohli has scored at 41.22. When Kohli scored his century in the second Test he did it at a rate of 47.85. Granted that is not quite the rate of 33.22 Pujara managed during his century in the third Test, but it is still hardly rapid.

What is probably most significant is how at odds this tour has been with his previous experiences away from home. Before this series, Pujara averaged just 29.38 outside the subcontinent. Compare that with an average of 61.86 at home, and a picture of what kind of batsman Pujara forms.

Such were the fears about his fallibility away from home going into India’s tour against England that he was dropped for the first Test. In hindsight, not the best idea, but he had hardly been setting the world of county cricket alight for Yorkshire.

Over 12 innings he had managed to score just 172 runs an average of 14.33. Hardly the figures you would expect of the overseas pro with a Test average of around 50. What’s more, he performed similarly averagely the year before when playing for Nottinghamshire.

^{Pujara averaged just 14.33 during his time at Yorkshire}

Playing in Division Two he scored 333 runs over 12 innings at an average of 27.75. Again, not figures one would expect of an overseas pro with an average like his.

The turning point appears to have been his hundred against England at the Ageas Bowl. It was on the only second Test hundred he had ever managed away from the subcontinent.

Since that point, he has amassed 591 runs across seven Tests at an average of 59.10, and scored three Test centuries. Importantly five of those Tests have been away from home, and all three of those hundreds have been outside India too.

Why has this seemingly suddenly happened? What changed? Well, the answer appears to be nothing. Yes, Pujara’s strike rate in the Australia series has been lower than his career strike rate, but not by much.

Pujara has always been characterised as a patient batsman. For years he has been compared to the great Rahul Dravid, one of the most successfully methodical batsmen in recent memory.

It could well be that Pujara's decision not to waver, to stick to his and continue playing at a pace that works for him has finally been vindicated. His performances may well show that there is still a place in cricket for those who give themselves the best chance at the crease.