One of India's best Test batters of his generation, Cheteshwar Pujara, continues to knock on the national team's doors after losing weight. While a few others like Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer have failed to cement their place in the team, Pujara continues to rack up points in the Ranji Trophy, turning the heads of the selectors. But it's not always easy to focus on the task at hand when a player has been removed from the national team. But for Pujara, it is his passion that continues to drive him.
Pujara, a veteran of 103 Tests for India, is already 36, an age where making a comeback to the national team could be considered difficult by many. But the Saurashtra player's motivation knows no bounds.
In an interview, Pujara was asked how he prepared for the Ranji Trophy after being dropped from the Indian team. His response is itself a message to the selectors.
“By playing a competitive club match in Mumbai just before the Ranji season. I just love this game. I am passionate about it. I got a hundred in that match against Dhawal Kulkarni, Sandeep Sharma, Shams Mulani and Shivam Dube. My club team was weaker against the opposition. So I wanted to make sure I put my best foot forward and we won the match,” Pujara told Hindustan Times.
“I'm saying this because that's exactly why I'm playing for Saurashtra. I want us to qualify for the Ranji knockouts. It's about having the same passion whether it's Saurashtra, Sussex or my club. It's clear that there is a different pride in playing for the country.” But you keep working hard. Try to follow the same routine,” he added.
When asked whether playing domestic competitions is becoming more difficult after witnessing the peak of international cricket, Pujara was again precise with his answer.
“For a cricketer, new peaks keep coming. It's about working on your game and refining it. Over the last year and a half, I have been working on my sweep shots, my reverse sweep and also loft shots. There are times in Ranji Trophy when you encounter difficult pitches, where teams are bowled out for 150-200 and the matches finish in two and a half days. Then it doesn't matter whether you have played 100 Tests or have 10,000 Test runs, You will definitely have to figure it out. Then you have needed some unorthodox shots. And it's paying off. I've seen results for me on tough pitches this season,” he said.
The experienced batsman has already scored 673 runs at an average of 74.77 in this Ranji Trophy season. His aim of scoring runs for India has not gone away either.
“Absolutely,” the way I've been hitting and keeping up with my conditioning, I'm very confident. Scoring runs in the Ranji Trophy is not a piece of cake, even though people may want to say so. There is no DRS and decisions don't always go the way you want. To keep scoring you have to work hard and be at the top of the game. I hope I can continue to contribute at whatever level I get the opportunity.”
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