I'm ready for competitive cricket: Pujara

[J P K]

Cheteshwar Pujara plays the ball towards square leg, India v Australia, 2nd Test, Bangalore, 5th day, October 13, 2010 Cheteshwar Pujara needs four more months to recover from right-knee surgery © AFP Enlarge Related Links Players/Officials: Cheteshwar Pujara | Virender Sehwag Teams: India Cheteshwar Pujara, the India batsman, will be out of action for four months after undergoing knee surgery. He injured his right knee during the IPL earlier this year and missed out on much of that tournament and was forced to skip the recently concluded West Indies tour as well. Pujara, 23, is currently undergoing rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore, and still needs the help of crutches to walk. "The last time I injured my left knee, during IPL-II, there was a lot of pain," he told the Indian Express. "This time there was no pain at all and doctors believed I could get fit for the tour of England. But I was asked to consult Dr Andrew Williams (in England) who advised me to undergo surgery." The surgery puts the brakes on Pujara's attempts to seal a permanent spot in the Test XI. After several seasons of heavy run-scoring in the domestic circuit, he delivered on Test debut last year with an enterprising second-innings 72 to seal a home series win against Australia. His absence from the West Indies tour and the forthcoming visit to England allows other contenders like Suresh Raina and Yuvraj Singh to make their case for the only middle-order opening available in the Indian team. "I don't know what the future holds. I'm hopeful of making a comeback," Pujara said. "I think I have given my best during the opportunities I have got." Another, more senior, member of the Indian team is also at the NCA recovering from injury. Virender Sehwag, who had shoulder surgery in May, spent 40 minutes on Tuesday afternoon facing gentle throwdowns. He hasn't played since the IPL, and will miss at least the first Test of the England series. http://www.espncricinfo.com/india/content/story/522843.html

[Sid]

Hope he recovers soon.

[phaedrus]

he'll get his chance. lot of matches this year. Hope he recovers before the Windies come to India.

[Blue Panther]

aah, thats a bad news, another victim of the thamasha league....

[cowboysfan]

Pujara has to make a career decision here.he obviously has terrible luck in IPLs with injury but he needs to stop putting himself in these situations by ditching ipl(he is not suited for it anyway) or his India career will never take off.

[gs]

Go tontee tontee league!

[Cricketics]

Hopefully he will be back by Irani Cup match. He will most likely be in the team if he's available.

[Karan114]

Pujara has to make a career decision here.he obviously has terrible luck in IPLs with injury but he needs to stop putting himself in these situations by ditching ipl(he is not suited for it anyway) or his India career will never take off.

True. Of the several batsmen we've given Test debuts in the last 3 years (Vijay, Badrinath, Raina, Mukund, Kohli), he looks technically the best (by no means the finished product, but there definitely is something there, as he showed on the second evening at Durban). But if he keeps getting injured in the tamasha, it will mean nothing.

[saneindian]

How unlucky. Hopefully he recovers fully before the WI tour in November and gets to play the early part of the domestic season before the test series starts.

[coffee_rules]

India chased 207 in 45 overs. What a full strength team can do!

[veer]

shooot!! wanted to see him in England....

[kabira]

The guy has poor luck. Oh man, my heart breaks, another long injury lay off. He is modest guy. I have been to his home, He was not there though at that time. My friends in-laws live right next to Pujara residence. I hope to catch with him if I get a chance.

[Fontaine]

This is so stupid and just like the Sehwag situation. Pujara and Sehwag had to get a 2nd opinion which advised them to get surgery months too late. Who are these joker doctors that originally didn't advise the surgery in the first place? Pujara picked up his injury months ago and it seems only recently he's getting this surgery from the advise of a specialist doctor.

[IKnowU]

This is so stupid and just like the Sehwag situation. Pujara and Sehwag had to get a 2nd opinion which advised them to get surgery months too late. Who are these joker doctors that originally didn't advise the surgery in the first place? Pujara picked up his injury months ago and it seems only recently he's getting this surgery from the advise of a specialist doctor.

Exactly..............just shows the inexperience sports medicine in India. Pro basketball players or football players in similar situation would have all the results and information needed to make a decision within a week. And get the surgery done asap to recover quickly as possible.

[deepak_sach]

IPL is a SH!T

[sarcastic]

Pujara confident of regaining berth in Indian squad Mumbai, Wed, Jul 13 2011 Sidelined by a ligament tear in his right knee, talented middle-order batsman Cheteshwar Pujara is targeting the Australian tour later this year to make a comeback in the Indian squad. "Obviously, I have to come to the team before the Australia tour. But before that I have to be fit for selection and only then will I be considered. I'm trying to get fit in time for the Australia tour in December and do hope that I'm selected in the team," the 23-year-old Saurashtra batsman said. Pujara, who suffered the injury during IPL 4 in which he was representing the Royal Challengers, Bangalore, underwent a surgery in London on July 1 and has been advised rest for three months after which he can resume his cricket practice. He is currently undergoing rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore. "I suffered the tear in my anti-cruciate ligament during fielding. I was going through some rehab after the injury. We were not very sure whether its a complete tear because there was no pain." "But then I went to London to consult a knee specialist on June 28. He told me that I would have to undergo a surgery. I had suffered the same injury in my left knee during IPL 2," he said. "It will take me four months to recover, and three months before I can start practice," he said. The Saurashtra Ranji Trophy batsman said losing out opportunities due to injuries was disappointing. "I'm definitely losing out opportunities but it is not in my hand because once you are injured you can't do anything. You are disappointed that when you want to play for the country you are out not because of selection but because of injury. I think you have to accept it." "I take it in a positive way. You cannot change what has happened. There is no other option. So my aim is to look after my injury and get fit to play again," he added. Pujara, who has represented India in three Test matches scoring 107 runs in five innings, has received encouragement from opener Virender Sehwag, who too was at the NCA after his shoulder surgery, and senior batsman Rahul Dravid. "Sehwag told me don't worry it will be ok. Whatever has happened has happened. Just focus on your rehab. Dravid sent me a message saying that 'don't worry you are injured but I'm very sure you will be able to come out of it'," he said. Pujara, who scored a crucial attacking 72 against Australia in the fourth innings of his debut Test at Bangalore last year, felt he had done well in the limited opportunities he had got. "Everyone appreciated my innings against Australia. Gary Kirsten and all senior players. Even the way I batted in South Africa, everyone was impressed with the way I was able to cope up with fast bowling in conditions where pace and bounce is more." "In South Africa, I was at the crease in difficult conditions but had crucial partnerships with Laxman bhai in one match and Dhoni bhai in another which was important for the team. At that time even a 25-40 run partnership was important. So everyone appreciated that." "Kirsten just told me to start converting my innings. 'When you get set you have to start scoring runs'," he said. Pujara said though there was a tough competition for a place in the middle-order he was confident of a comeback. "I don't believe in competition nor do I think about what other players are doing. If there is competition it is good in a way for the team as it means we have got a good bunch of players who can do well for the team. I always try to give my best and try to improve as much as possible. I'm confident that when I'm fit I would be able to make it to the team again because it was only because of injury that I am out." On comparisons with Dravid, he said, "It's a very big compliment for me though I have always maintained that I don't believe in comparisons. Dravid is a legend and has scored over 10,000 runs in Test cricket. I cannot be compared with him. But if someone does, it's a very big complement for me and it is motivating from it." Pujara, who is considered more of a Test specialist, said he was trying to improve in the other two forms of the game as well. "I'm improving as a T20 and ODI player. I did well in IPL 3. Even in this season I played a couple of good innings for Royal Challengers, Bangalore. I played at 5, 6, 7 where you don't get too many balls too face. If I get opportunities I will try to prove that I can do well in these formats as well." "Last year during India A's UK tour, I was the leading scorer. We played matches against England Lions and West Indies A teams. The English Lions had some international players like Jonathan Trott, Ian Bell, Alistair Cook in besides some good bowlers. So its not that I can't do well in ODIs," he added.

[Fontaine]

We were not very sure whether its a complete tear because there was no pain."

If my doctor had come up with this bullsh*t and a specialist then confirmed I had to get surgery then I would be pissed off. I mean WTF? A ligament tear usually requires surgery in sports almost always. Where is the team getting it's doctors from? The Clown college of medicine?

[IKnowU]

If my doctor had come up with this bullsh*t and a specialist then confirmed I had to get surgery then I would be pissed off. I mean WTF? A ligament tear usually requires surgery in sports almost always. Where is the team getting it's doctors from? The Clown college of medicine?

All it takes is a MRI to confirm...............:headshake: And having a torn ligament wont show any signs of pain straightaway

[BeautifulGame]

Any chance of him being fit for WI tests?

[MCcricket]

Shanee Mangal pe Bhari , I am not into astrology but this kid's stars are jinxed lol, good talent hoping he makes a comeback soon, stops diving awkwardly, Simon Jones was a g8 talent , wasted for his stupidity, making a suicidal dive at the ropes to prevent a run.