Why Pujara feels India should not have enforced follow-on in Colombo Test

Former batsman Cheteshwar Pujara has expressed his belief that India should not have enforced the follow-on during the second Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo. Despite scoring 503/9 in their first innings, India declared and put Sri Lanka in to bat, eventually dismissing them for 290 and sending them to bat again. This decision led to Sri Lanka holding on for a draw, thanks largely to the performances of Sonal Dinusha, who scored centuries in both innings.

India's next opportunity to win the Test came on day four, when conditions were not ideal for batting. Pujara, speaking to Cricinfo, suggested that if India hadn't enforced the follow-on, they would have had a better chance of winning the match. He argued that bowling for another 80-90 overs under the same hot and humid conditions would have been challenging, both physically and mentally, for the Indian bowlers.

Moreover, Pujara emphasized that the decision to enforce the follow-on could have been influenced by weather considerations, as India might not have had enough time to bowl in the remaining days. However, he acknowledged that his comments are more reflective of a hypothetical scenario, given that the final outcome was already decided.

Regardless, Pujara's analysis underscores the complexity of tactical decisions in Test cricket and the difficulties teams face when balancing their approach in such challenging conditions.