Cheteshwar Pujara Explains Why He Stays Cautious At The Start Of His Innings
Published - 23 Jun 2020, 11:25 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 09:16 AM
Cheteshwar Pujara has impinged himself as a bedrock of the Indian Test batting-unit and he has done that courtesy his penchant for grinding the bowlers into a dust by batting for a long period of time.
In an era of slam-bang cricket where cricketers are hailed for their outrageous hitting talent, Pujara comes as a throwback to the good old days where staying on the crease and putting a prize on their wicket were the prime requisites for any batsmen.
Pujara initially takes his time to settle into his innings but he reckons that it is not because of the fact that he is nervous but because he feels that the time he takes initially helps him into a rhythm.
“I’m not nervous, but you do need to be cautious in the beginning because of a few reasons. First, your body isn’t warmed up. Then, you have to get used to the pace of the pitch. The sightscreen also varies from stadium to stadium. So the visibility is also different. So you need to get used to that. That’s why you have to be cautious so that you get into a rhythm,” Cheteshwar Pujara said on Sony Ten Pit Shop.
Also Read: Sledging Doesn’t Affect Cheteshwar Pujara; Says He Tries To Remain In The ‘Zone’
Cheteshwar Pujara resumes training amidst Covid-19
Cheteshwar Pujara, on Monday, returned to training amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. The veteran Saurashtra batsman took to Instagram to post the pictures of him padding up and getting ready to bat.
“Back at it… felt like a long time away but just as I took the stance felt as if it was yesterday,” Cheteshwar Pujara wrote.
In another video, Pujara can be seen playing a front-foot defense which prompted R Sridhar, Team India’s fielding coach, to comment that the Indian No.3 might be in for a long session.
“The line-up of the gloves (as displayed in the photo) suggests that it’s gonna be a looooooong session,” R Sridhar replied.
Pujara’s form will once again be crucial for Team India when Virat Kohli’s team travels to Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Pujara was instrumental in India scripting their maiden Test series win Down Under in 2018-19. The Indian No.3 ground the Australian bowlers into the dust, facing more than 1200 balls for his 521 runs.
