Cheteshwar Pujara: Honoured to be playing for the same county as Sachin Tendulkar
After not finding a buyer in the IPL auctions held in Bengaluru in February, Cheteshwar Pujara will now have a completely different challenge up his sleeve as he gets ready to turn out for English county side Yorkshire. Talking about the IPL snub, the 27-year-old said that he wasn’t overly concerned and added that he now intends to focus on playing and doing well for Yorkshire.
“See, it is overall. Now, I have this opportunity to play for Yorkshire. You have bad times in your career and to come out of it, you need to work hard. My first priority is to do well for Yorkshire. I have been trying to improve and work on my game, which I needed to in all aspects.
“I am developing as a cricketer. At times, I will have a good or a bad series, but the trick is to stay mentally tough and positive throughout, if you want to start playing well again,” Pujara told DNA in an interview.
Elaborating further on the stint, the right-hander said that he was looking forward to playing for Yorkshire and admitted it was an honour for him to represent the county that Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar once did.
“I am looking forward to it since it’s a good opportunity. Last year, I played county cricket for Derbyshire. This season, too, will be a good experience. I enjoy playing in those conditions and it’s a good exposure, a great learning experience. The wickets and conditions are different. It is a challenge to keep playing there. You feel comfortable as a batsman and as cricketer, too, you improve your game in tough conditions.
“It is an honour for me since Sachin (Tendulkar) paaji played for that county. I, too, now have an opportunity to play for them. I am really looking forward to it. I followed Yorkshire on TV while I was playing for Derbyshire last year. They have set themselves a certain standard. They were the champions last year, won many games. I have an opportunity to play for the same team and it will help me. My experience with Derbyshire will help me gel with players, to be in the environment and the culture,” the Saurashtra batsman added.
County cricket helps your development in more than one way: Pujara
When he was asked in what way the county experience will help him in his growth as a cricketer, Pujara said that not only does one grow as a cricketer while playing in England but you get to experience a different lifestyle altogether as well.
“It does help a lot as you play in different conditions and wickets. It helps because we do not get such wickets in India, the weather and atmosphere are different. It is an opportunity to play in those conditions, being part of a county team helps not only a batsman but a bowler too. For me, it was never an issue, I carry my own bag, I do my own work, I try to adjust in that culture. It’s not that difficult as I learnt good things there.
“While playing away from India, we learn a lot of new things, see different cultures and for me it has always been easier. I am used to it and try do my own work, there is not much pressure. What I usually enjoy is a game of cricket, working hard on it which will support your performance in the end,” he said.
A lot was expected from him during India’s twin tours to England and Australia last year, but Pujara failed to live up to those expectations and could manage just 222 runs in the 5 Tests in England and 201 runs in the 3 Tests in Australia before being dropped for the final Test. Speaking about those tours, he said that while it was disappointing to have not got the big scores consistently, even a grinding 30 in difficult conditions could make it easier for the others to follow in the middle-order.
“All these tours, I have managed to get starts and score 30-odd runs. In England, I got a couple of good innings. Batting at No. 3, you have to see through the new ball as the ball does a lot in overseas conditions. This benefits the middle-order and helps the team post 350-400 runs on board,” the right-hander said.
“It wasn’t like I was out of form, but it would have been better had I converted the good starts into a big one. Somehow it didn’t happen and I have realised that I have to convert the 30s-40s into big scores or at least a 50 so that the team is safe. It’s not that I got out early, which is a positive sign,” he added.
Feel proud to be compared with Rahul Dravid: Pujara
Pujara has often been compared with batting legend Rahul Dravid and talking about that, Pujara said that while he does feel proud to be compared to the 42-year-old, he doesn't wish to let those comparisons affect his own personal game and instead wants to focus on being himself.
“Being compared to Rahul is a compliment, very good, a proud feeling, but ultimately it is I who has to go on the field to play the way I know. I have to be Cheteshwar Pujara, natural on the field. I can’t have those things at the back of my mind like what will happen if I get out or if things don’t go my way. I know my way of playing cricket.
“Whenever there is time, I seek guidance from Rahul Dravid. But I do things on my own, not think about comparisons, just focus on the ball. There is always a team game plan and I have to obviously keep it in the back of mind and be spontaneous on the field,” he said.