Ever since he began playing first-class cricket, in 2005, Cheteshwar Pujara has come to be known in the cricketing circuits as the run-machine. After years of churning out big hundreds and triple tons for Saurashtra, Pujara carried forward his reputation at the international level, for the first 20-odd Test matches of his career.
However, during the tours of England and Australia last year, Pujara went through a phase he was not familiar with ā a string of eight Test matches without a century. During that period, he managed to cross the 50-run mark twice. The low point came when Indiaās solid No. 3 batsman found himself out of the playing XI ahead of the Sydney Test. It was a hard pill to swallow but Pujara chose not to wallow.
He went to England to play for Yorkshire to find his lost mojo and reinvent himself in those conditions. After four matches, a century and a fifty, Pujara returned home stronger and wiser.
Now, as he prepares to lead India A against the visiting Australians, Pujara spoke about the phase of low-scores and the lessons he learnt from last year, in a chat with bcci.tv.
How important is this India A tour for you in terms of regaining your place in the Test batting lineup?
I have been part of the team on a regular basis but have missed out on a game here and there. It is just a matter of time before I get back in the XI. I have been working hard on my game and I donāt think there should be any issues. All I can do is improve my game, irrespective of whether or not I am part of the team. That is the advice I have been getting from all the former greats and that is what I will continue to do.
How crucial will Rahul Dravidās presence be for the team and for you individually?
It will be really important. He is a great mentor. I have been in touch with him and have had many conversations with him. He was with the Indian team for two weeks on our tour to England last year. I have seen him train when he used to play and spoken to him at the NCA. He obviously has immense knowledge of the game but the way he puts it across and explains things, it makes you really comfortable.
The last time I chatted with him, he was very positive about the way I have been batting and he told me there isnāt any major fault in my technique. He told me that at times I got good balls and that I have to accept that as a batsman. This is the first time I will have him as a mentor for a longer period and he will watch me play. This will help me more because it is one thing to talk over the phone but quite another talking in person and spending quality time.
Talk about your experience at county cricket with Yorkshire.
I really enjoyed playing for Yorkshire. When you play in England, things are difficult, especially in the beginning of the season, in the month of April and May. The weather is cold and the ball moves a lot on fresh wickets. As a batsman it is a challenge and the pressure is two-fold because you make a small mistake and you lose your wicket. You can only look to survive initially and think about scoring runs only after Lunch when the ball gets older. Initially I had a tough time but as I played more, I gained confidence. What worked for me was that technique is my strength and I know I can play in any conditions. Playing under Jason Gillespie was a good experience; heās a very nice coach. The atmosphere in the dressing room was warm and welcoming.
What did those tours of England and Australia teach you?
You need to accept your failure. Because of the amount of runs I had been scoring before the England tour, I always thought that I can score a century every other game. So, not being able to get runs was a frustrating experience for me. With time I learnt how to accept that. Also, you have to understand that sometimes you may have not scored big runs but may still have fulfilled a specific role for your team. For instance, in the first innings of the Lordās Test I scored only 28 runs, but I saw through a tough spell and the small 37-run partnership between (Murali) Vijay and me was really crucial. You have to learn how to appreciate yourself for these little things and not beat yourself up for not scoring big runs always. You may be very good at what you do but at the end of the day you do make mistakes and you have to move on. Thatās what I have started to do after the England and Australia tours.
The peculiar aspect was that you were getting starts in those tours. You looked good while you were out there but those periods were not long enough. Thatās very unlike you.
Thatās true. I never felt that I was out of form, starting from New Zealand, England and in Australia too. I got the starts but there was something that kept me from scoring big. I thought about it, tried to figure out what it was but I never got an answer. At times I got good deliveries or played a bad shot. Things didnāt go my way. It could also be the fact that after a couple of low scores, I started to put extra pressure on myself to maintain the standards I had set. When you fail, you need to be more relaxed and focused. I have learned that now.
When you were left out of the Sydney Test, how difficult was it to digest that message?
When you get dropped, nobody likes it. When you get that message, you donāt want to hear it. Once I was told about it, the only thing I told myself was that I will work on my game and earn my place back in the batting order.
Was there any technical aspect?
Technically there were a few things I had to correct. I was caught behind and bowled a few times. In those conditions when you know that the ball moves a lot, you have to play through the line rather than across. When there is deviation of the ball, you have to counter it. Having said that, there is no batsman in the world who is comfortable against the moving ball, and there is no correct technique to play in seaming conditions. I havenāt seen any batsman play flawlessly on a green seaming wicket. You just need to grind it out and score runs when the conditions ease out.
How did you cope with this phase mentally?
Mentally I am tough. I have gone through some tough times in life and have had many injuries which have taught me many lessons. To survive this phase wasnāt that difficult comparatively. When you get injured and canāt play cricket that is more difficult than when you are playing and not doing so well. As a sportsperson you will go through those phases. That is what cricket and life is all about. You sometimes work hard but donāt get the success.
How difficult is it for you to switch off from cricket?
I have learned that switching off is important. At times I have over-thought about my game but over a period of time I have realized that I need to find the right balance between not being careless and not over-thinking. With experience I think I have got that.
Is your father still the person you go to when you need advice on your game?
I still turn to him for help and discussion related to my game. But he is not the only person I talk to about my game. If someone like a Rahul Dravid or Sachin Tendulkar gives me an advice, I go and discuss it with my dad. If there is nothing coming from anyone, I go to my dad and pick his brain.
Tell me something we donāt know about how you prepare for a game?
I used to have a routine but now it is just limited to my training ā physical and skill work. When I am back to my room I donāt have any routine. I just relax and do what I like. As we discussed earlier, with time I have realised that it is important to switch off. So, once I am done with my skill and training work, I go to my room and do whatever I feel like doing ā watch movies, read books, or play on the playstation.
