I Was In A Bit Of Pain But The Body Blows Motivated Me To Do Better - Cheteshwar Pujara On Gabba Test

Indian Test batter Cheteshwar Pujara was instrumental during India’s epic 4th innings run chase on Day 5 of the Gabba Test against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

He held firm at one end while the young guns, Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill, did the bulk of the scoring at the other. During his marathon knock, Pujara was hit on his body at least five times but he endured it all with the help of sheer willpower.

Speaking at the trailer launch event of ‘Bandon Me Tha Dum’ by Voot Select, Pujara said:

“I think it (body blows) motivated me to do better. Yes, I was in a bit of pain during the first two blows. When I was stuck 2-3 times more at the same spot, the pain was more. At one point I was hit in my fingers, it was unbearable.”

“It was unbearable. I had a chat with physio and he asked If I want to take painkillers. I refused because I do not take medicines during the game because it disturbs my concentration sometimes. So I just told myself that I am being hit on my body, but my focus was to draw the game or win it for my country. My focus was to ensure that we do not lose too many wickets during the first two sessions, during the final day of the game,” Pujara told ANI.

There was a stage on the fifth day when India could either go for the target or opt to slow down and draw the Test. However, the Pant and co. wanted to play aggressively and decided to chase the target down.

“We (Pant and Pujara) were under pressure and we had to make sure we do not lose too many wickets at that stage and have a few more runs at the board to make pressure on the bowlers. When you are chasing 400-plus, it is not easy. What we tried was to build a partnership and think of things we could control, which was to play one session at a time, one hour at a time,” he revealed.

“Not really” – Cheteshwar Pujara on whether Pant playing aggressively tempted him to do so

Pujara’s job was to hold the fort and ensure that India would never lose the Test. Letting Pant do the bulk of the scoring also made sense since the 24-year-old has a naturally attacking style of play.

“Not really. One has to stick to their individual strengths. I can’t do what Pant does. He cannot do what I do. We have to stick to our strengths. I did the same. I have enough experience of playing on the Australian soil luckily so that experience helped me and I kept doing what I could do, what I felt was the best for my team,” Pujara concluded.

Voot Select will be releasing a web series, ‘Bandon Mein Tha Dum’, which will document the happenings of India’s famous comeback against the Aussies in 2020-21.

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