Pujara : Our New No.3

[J P K]

Cheteshwar Pujara, one of the rising stars of Indian cricket, has had a mixed bag of success and failure, luck and misfortune, in his all-too-brief international career. He made an impressive Test debut against Australia at home late last year but lost his place in the playing eleven in the series versus New Zealand because of the return of the fit-again senior players. The selectors could not ignore him for the tour of South Africa, where he featured in two of the three Tests without doing anything remarkable. Unfortunately, he continues to face hurdles when it comes to playing Test cricket. No, not that he lacks in talent, technique and temperament. Far from it. He has them in abundance, but seems to have no luck with injuries. He injured his knee during Kolkata Knight Riders' warm-up match in the lead-up to the IPL in South Africa in 2009 and was out of action for several months. In the just-concluded IPL IV, he sustained a knee injury while fielding for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Kochi Tuskers Kerala. The result: he missed the West Indies tour. Recuperating at his home in Rajkot, Pujara talks to Haresh Pandya about his time with the Test team in South Africa, the sadness of missing out on the West Indies tour because of injury and MS Dhoni's leadership, among other cricket matters. What's the nature of your injury? Is it very serious? How long will it take you to recover fully? I'm sorry, I can't say anything about my injury. I'm not allowed to. I've been undergoing treatment at the National Cricket Academy and only the official physio can throw light on my injury. http://www.rediff.com/cricket/slide-show/slide-show-1-cricket-special-cheteshwar-pujara-interview-by-haresh-pandya/20110601.htm

[Karan114]

There's never a good time to get injured, but this was particularly bad, with three senior Test batsmen resting/injured after the IPL. Pujara didn't have much to show scores wise in SA, but he showed some real grit on that spiteful Durban wicket. And of course, his blazing 72 on debut to win the Bangalore Test against the Aussies will always stay in the memory. But at least this gives Kohli a chance in the Test side.

[yoda]

He just needs to get healthy and when the slots open up, which they will sooner than later, he needs to be there to grab them. No doubt he would have done well if he was fit enough for the WI tour.

[Sidhoni]

Another player suffers coz of IPL. :facepalm:

[Crookbond]

Important for youngsters to tour abroad - Pujara http://www.espncricinfo.com/india/content/current/story/555458.html

Cheteshwar Pujara, the India batsman, has said that it is important for the country's young players to get a chance to tour abroad so they can learn how to adapt to different conditions. Pujara captained India A on their tour of England in 2010 as a 22-year-old, and it was his prolific form during that series that led to his inclusion in the India squad to face Australia later the same year. "When we were playing against the England team, they had a few international players like Jonathan Trott [and Ian Bell] and a few fast bowlers [Chris Woakes, Liam Plunkett, Sajid Mahmood] as well," Pujara told ESPNcricinfo. "Being a youngster, if you play them in their home conditions and you do well, you get confidence out of it." With India's eight away Tests losses to England and Australia over the last nine months as a backdrop, the BCCI recently announced a number of India A and Under-19 tours of the West Indies, England, Australia and South Africa over the next few years. Pujara believes these tours will provide the players with the necessary experience they need to succeed overseas. "Once you experience [those conditions], then you can make a few changes to your technique," he said. "Once you face those conditions, then you know what to do." Pujara, who also toured South Africa with the senior side in 2010-11, said one of the crucial lessons he has learned is that a batsman needs to get through the new ball in places like England and Australia - something that has continued to be a problem for batsmen on the ongoing tour down under - before attempting to play his shots. "When the ball gets old, then you can score runs easily. You can't play drives on the up when the ball is new." According to him, it takes three or four good net sessions, or a practice match, to switch from the more attacking approach used in the subcontinent to the more watchful approach that is needed when the ball is seaming and bouncing. Having recently returned to action after more than six months away from cricket following knee surgery for an injury he picked up in the IPL last season, Pujara is eager to regain his place in the national side, but said for the moment he is concentrating solely on playing good cricket. He also rejected the notion that the next generation of players are more concerned about playing in the IPL than they are about international cricket. "If you look at the positive side of it, the IPL has given a lot of youngsters the opportunity to play international cricket," he said. "It is an opportunity for them to display their talents." Another of the IPL's benefits is that it has given India's domestic players the chance to rub shoulders with some of the best international cricketers from around the world. Pujara reckons this not only gives the players a chance to learn from team-mates they might otherwise never have met, but also provides a big boost of confidence given the high level of competition. As for players skipping international tours after picking up injuries during the IPL, Pujara said it was unfair to blame the IPL. "Fitness depends on the individual," he said. "Injuries can happen at any time, any format and in any country." On Monday, Pujara became the third cricketer after Sachin Tendulkar and Gautam Gambhir to be signed on by World Sport Group (WSG) under its player management programme. He said having an agent to manage his commercial and off-field interests would give him the luxury of devoting his attention entirely to the job of playing cricket. "I am glad to be in the able hands of WSG, and can now focus completely on performing better and cementing my place in the national squad."

[jairamesh]

What's the point of having overseas tour for India A, when seniors have monopolized the batting positions. Even after 7 consecutive overseas losses, neither one of the seniors decided to retire or did the selectors/management plump for e.g. Mukund or Pujara for the final and 4th test in Australia. Was Kohli not the best Batsman from the 4-0 thrashing?!!, and yet Sehwag, Dravid, Tendulkar, Laxman didn't have the fecking foresight that they are now not letting the team down, BUT embarrassing a nation! There good examples of older players knowing it was time to move on, even during mid-series; Nasser Hussien giving way to young Vaughn or Gilchrist, Langer, McGrath after 2007 Ashes high.

[Ultimate_Game]

What's the point of having overseas tour for India A, when seniors have monopolized the batting positions. Even after 7 consecutive overseas losses, neither one of the seniors decided to retire or did the selectors/management plump for e.g. Mukund or Pujara for the final and 4th test in Australia. Was Kohli not the best Batsman from the 4-0 thrashing?!!, and yet Sehwag, Dravid, Tendulkar, Laxman didn't have the fecking foresight that they are now not letting the team down, BUT embarrassing a nation! There good examples of older players knowing it was time to move on, even during mid-series; Nasser Hussien giving way to young Vaughn or Gilchrist, Langer, McGrath after 2007 Ashes high.

None of them were Indians. Barring Gavaskar our players generally stick around for too long.

[jairamesh]

None of them were Indians. Barring Gavaskar our players generally stick around for too long.

That's why selectors need to be ruthless. Always felt Indian selectors were too soft on established players that went out of form. English selectors used to be like this but not anymore. The selectors are too too risk averse. But then again I would have not picked Yuvi in WC 2011 squad! and we all know what he did.

[Ultimate_Game]

That's why selectors need to be ruthless. Always felt Indian selectors were too soft on established players that went out of form. English selectors used to be like this but not anymore. The selectors are too too risk averse. But then again I would have not picked Yuvi in WC 2011 squad! and we all know what he did.

We never had a selection panel with balls. The only thing they are good at is dropping players based on their agenda - the way used to pick and drop Amarnath every other series. The selectors generally have the attitude "My time will be up in 2 years so why bother. The next selection panel can kick the seniors out".

[Crookbond]

What's the point of having overseas tour for India A, when seniors have monopolized the batting positions.

The original post is actually pointing to a well observed fact, even on ICF. Your reply talks about a different issue. The point of having overseas tours is to make domestic batsmen to play in different conditions especially with bounce, swing or seam movement. It makes one a better cricketer. It may change the risk strategy of the selectors if they know they have good enough arsenal to replace a top player. In the current scenario, the selectors are between a rock and a hard place. The same people asking to back Raina, Rohit Sharma and now they don't perform despite umpteen opportunities.

[Pagalpanti]

I think selectors have finally scheduled few away A tours in coming future, starting with WI I guess and then Australia and SA.

[saneindian]

What's the point of having overseas tour for India A, when seniors have monopolized the batting positions. Even after 7 consecutive overseas losses, neither one of the seniors decided to retire or did the selectors/management plump for e.g. Mukund or Pujara for the final and 4th test in Australia. Was Kohli not the best Batsman from the 4-0 thrashing?!!, and yet Sehwag, Dravid, Tendulkar, Laxman didn't have the fecking foresight that they are now not letting the team down, BUT embarrassing a nation! There good examples of older players knowing it was time to move on, even during mid-series; Nasser Hussien giving way to young Vaughn or Gilchrist, Langer, McGrath after 2007 Ashes high.

Quitting mid-series on an away tour? Care citing an example of someone retiring miday on a tour? The only one I can think of is Zulqarnain Haider :winky: Like Hussain, Kumble walked away for Mishra in the middle of a series. Ganguly walked away after the high of a series win vs the Aussies . Agree with your other points though.

[ganeshran]

The A side should tour with the senior side on all overseas tours. Let the next best 11 play in the same conditions and it becomes easier to judge the ability of future players in different conditions. Plus if there is an injury, you already have a acclimatized and match fit player ready to step in, rather than one vacationing in miami arriving 2 days late, unfit and jet lagged

[jairamesh]

Quitting mid-series on an away tour? Care citing an example of someone retiring miday on a tour? The only one I can think of is Zulqarnain Haider :winky: Like Hussain, Kumble walked away for Mishra in the middle of a series. Ganguly walked away after the high of a series win vs the Aussies . Agree with your other points though.

Well, that's where the problem is, these players have been chasing looking for that "high" it's turned into an embarrassing wild goose chase. They missed the boat during the South Africa series. I always maintained regardless of the result in South Africa (which I thought India would get hammered), Dravid, Laxman, Sehwag, and Zaheer should have retired from tests.

[Sachinism]

The day Pujara signs up to a new marketing company, there's articles popping up all over the net about him. :hmmm:

[Zelch]

Talking of Pujara, what is his current form like? Did he score any runs lately?

[Sachinism]

The last I saw he was in pretty average touch

[Karan114]

The day Pujara signs up to a new marketing company' date=' there's articles popping up all over the net about him. :hmmm:[/quote'] True that. Even the mention of his sports management company in the article is so incongruous...I mean who the **** cares who is managing him. But, end of the day, Indian cricket is primarily a vehicle for big companies to sell their products to the Indian public so its inevitable.

[Number]

I'm worried about his form. About time he gets a call for Test team and he hasn't played one long innings in Domestic games from long time.

[punjabi_khota]

No shyte, sherkhan.