TV pundit Pujara too plays with straight bat

The soundtrack to the many ups, downs and overturnings of the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) series is filled with incantations of #toughestrivalry and #sledgehammer, repeated airings of "Boiling Point", and post Siraj-Travis, multiple spewings of "garmi" "garmahat" and its multilingual variants.

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With the Brisbane Test next, be prepared for a bombardment of how 'Gabba ka Ghamand' (Gabba's pride/arrogance) must now be broken.

Amidst this heat-generating balderdash, it is easy to miss out on a new backbeat with a steady tempo and clarity of expression cutting through the BGT surround sound. It comes from the voice and words of Cheteshwar Pujara. The same fellow we have seen and known on our cricket screens, only this time with a mic in hand. He is now to be found mostly in Hotstar's Hindi commentary feed where Pujara sounds exactly like he bats.

Low-key, mind on the job, situationally aware, informed, rational and unmoved by hoopla, branding, posturing.

Intent the word Indian cricket loves so much to cut through the noise and be the plainspeaking, no-TRP, no-BS cricket expert.

The BGT series is Pujara's first live commentary stint following his early foray last year as video expert with ESPNcricinfo during the Asia Cup and ICC World Cup. Sometimes Pujara does appear with the Hotstar hotshot Angrezi-wallahs in postmatch discussions - as a hologram on an Australian ground. (For someone who is six feet tall, his digital version oddly appears to match everyone's height).

In the Hotstar Hindi commentary box, which in any case sounds a far less uptight and self-regarding space than its English cuz, Pujara has slotted in easily.

He is surrounded mostly by teammates and contemporaries and says his piece in his own quiet way, like he must have in the dressing room. The voice of reason over emotion, or to use a Sachin-ism cricket with hosh (awareness) over josh (passion).