brick by bricks, Pujara builds impenetrable wall

Cheteshwar Pujara has batted and batted and batted in the fourth Test at the SCG.

Cheteshwar Pujara celebrates after reaching his century. Picture: Getty Images

Cheteshwar Pujara has batted and batted and batted in the fourth Test at the SCG. Occupation of the crease has been paramount to ­Pujara in his marathon demonstrations of courage and patience this summer.

Three centuries. 458 runs. But the number that may please the most is 1702 minutes. The resilience to stay out there.

To hang in there. To give the bastards nothing. To pounce when the opportunities arise — for instance, when Marnus Labuschagne is chucking down enough half-trackers to make you think well, old mate, we hope you can bat.

It would please India’s greatest batsman, Sachin Tendulkar. The Little Master once confided that the secret to his success was that he always batted for minutes, not runs.

Minute after minute. Hour after hour. Calmer than the Dalai Lama. Tendulkar has figured that if he bats for enough minutes, he’s likely to make enough runs.

He finished with 15,921 of them, of course, the most recorded by a Test-playing flannel’d fool. The best rap you can give Pujara, now he’s reached stumps on 130 after a 381-minute shift that ensures his name will be engraved on the player-of-the-series trophy? He’s done a Tendulkar.

Minutes batted in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy

By contrast, India captain Virat Kohli has hustled out of the visitors dressing room yesterday, turned left, taken a steep right towards the outfield, run down the steps, kissed the turf, been appallingly booed by the SCG crowd — where’s the respect for a visiting captain? — flicked his bat as though twirling a baton and then punched an early offering to the boundary through cover. Shot, but he’s clearly been in a hurry.

Kohli has lasted 75 minutes and made 23 runs while at the other end, Pujara has poured on another century in a near-meditative state. He’s taken more body blows than Rocky Balboa against Apollo Creed. He’s had ample opportunities to lose his head. Which Australia batsman has the patience for this? He’s been gifted a move past 50 yesterday by a regrettable over from Labuschagne, who’s in the top order — at first drop, no less! — partly because he can back it up with leg-spin bowling. Three shockers have been dispatched to the boundary as Pujara has marched on and on. Bowled, ’Schagne?

Kohli will receive all the plaudits and headlines if India secures its first series triumph in Australia but Pujara has been the out-and-out superstar, building three centuries brick by brick. Usman Khawaja and Travis Head have racked up 679 minutes from the first three Tests … nowhere in the same league.

The jeering of the visiting skipper has been crass. Disgraceful, according to Ricky Ponting, who says in commentary, “Show a bit of respect.” None of it has made ­Pujara flinch.

Boo him, cheer him, sledge him, bowl spin at him, bowl fast at him, it’s making no difference. He flogs Mitchell Starc, who hasn’t been sighted for about three hours, for consecutive boundaries. He’s into the 90s, appearing not so nervous, nor fatigued, in his sixth hour of batting.

The day has started with Australia captain Tim Paine losing the toss. He’s walked towards the Clive Churchill Stand, exhaled deeply, removed his cap and run his fingers through his hair as though he knows a long day is ahead.

Minute by minute, hour by hour, Pujara has ground the Australians into the SCG dirt. Kohli has played the series in a loud, holy roar but Pujara’s whispers have provided the substance. The reminder of the dying art of mature and dedicated Test batsmanship. The applause for his century had a sincere touch to it. He punched the air, kissed his helmet, saluted his dressing room and batted out the remaining 64 minutes until stumps.