Indian batsman Cheteshwar Pujara expressed his dissatisfaction with India's bowling performance, particularly focusing on Jasprit Bumrah’s execution, during the first day of the second Test match against Australia at the Adelaide Oval. Played under the lights with a pink ball, India struggled to contain Australia’s strong batting lineup, leaving them with an uphill task after Day 1.

Speaking to Star Sports, Pujara candidly analyzed the day’s play, pointing out that the Indian bowlers failed to adapt their lengths to the conditions as effectively as their Australian counterparts. He highlighted that India’s bowlers missed the opportunity to put Australia under pressure by not pitching the ball up consistently.

Reflecting on India’s overall performance, Pujara admitted that the team’s batting also left much to be desired. Despite the challenging conditions, he believed that India should have posted a competitive total in the range of 250 to 275 runs.

“I think we could have batted a lot better. It was a pitch where we should have got 250 to 275. So we are 70-80 runs behind. Credit goes to the Aussie bowlers because of the way they bowled. They pitched the ball up. Their lengths were much better than our bowlers," Pujara said.

Australia's bowlers, led by Mitchell Starc, delivered with precision, keeping the Indian batsmen on the back foot. Starc, who claimed a remarkable 6/48, exploited the conditions brilliantly by varying his lengths and maintaining a consistent line just outside off-stump. Pujara noted how India's bowlers, including Bumrah, failed to replicate this approach, missing crucial opportunities to swing the game in their favor.

"I do understand that our bowlers did try to hit the same length, which wasn't the ideal length. But if you look at the Aussie bowlers' length, initially they mixed it up when there wasn't help when they started pitching up," Pujara said on Star Sports.

"They went to the back of length. They started bowling between 6 to 8 meters and that's where we lost a couple of wickets in the middle order. KL Rahul and Virat, both of them got outback-of-the-lengthength deliveries. And the line was still just over the 4th stump, which was an ideal line on this pitch" he Said.