"I'll be ready..." - Cheteshwar Pujara eyeing India comeback after Ranji trophy heroics

Veteran batsman Cheteshwar Pujara has said that he has still not given up on representing Team India again in Tests. The right-handed batsman is currently 36 and not really in the picture to earn a recall at present as the selectors have been trying out different youngsters.

While he has done well for Saurashtra in the ongoing Ranji Trophy, the selectors decided against handing him a recall even when several key players were unavailable for the ongoing series against England. The likes of Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel and Devdutt Padikkal earned maiden call-ups for the England series as the selectors made it clear that they want to give opportunity to youngsters.

However, it has not deterred Cheteshwar Pujara from working hard. Away from the hustle and bustle of international cricket, he is toiling hard in domestic cricket for Saurashtra and is still harbouring the hopes of donning the Indian jersey.

“My proudest moment was to represent the Indian team. There is a pride when I walk out to bat for India, there is nothing bigger than that. That feeling that you can win games for your country, that you can make the difference – call it X-factor or a player who will fight for the country to win a game, there is no greater feeling than that on earth.

“Whenever the opportunity to play for India comes, I will be ready to play with that passion and pride that’s needed and with which I have always played. That will never change,” Cheteshwar Pujara told the Indian Express.

Cheteshwar Pujara working on sweep shot:

Even at 36, Cheteshwar Pujara has not stopped working on his batting. The veteran batsman has revealed that he has added few more shots to his arsenal in order to do well in red-ball cricket especially on turning tracks. He revealed that he has been working on regular and reverse sweep shots to deal with spinners on turning pitches.

“…this Ranji season, there have been some turners. Like that game against Rajasthan. On a rank turner, you don’t allow the bowler to settle down. And you have to keep reinventing yourself. In the last 18 months to two years, I have developed the regular sweep shot and the reverse sweep. And use them in the matches these days. Else, the bowlers will feel: oh he is going to step down to drive or go back. With these sweeps, my game has become better – more all-round,” Pujara said.

“If you don’t trust your defense, you will have fear of getting out on such pitches. You have to mix all of it together – attack, defense,” he added.

Pujara has not played for Team India since July last year. His last appearance for the national team came in the ICC World Test Championship final against Australia. He scored 14 and 27 in that game as Australia thrashed India by 209 runs.