‘Can’t be Sehwag or Warner’: Cheteshwar Pujara responds to questions about his strike rate

Pujara agreed that he cannot be scoring quickly like a David Warner or a Virender Sehwag but also pointed out that there is nothing wrong in taking a bit of time in red ball cricket.

Despite being more consistent than most other Indian batsmen in Test cricket, Cheteshwar Pujara has always had to deal with questions about his strike rate, his inability to score quick runs even after getting set. The most recent one being the Ranji Trophy final where Pujara scored 66 runs but took 237 balls against Bengal. But India’s No.3 stresses that he knows his style of batting and so does the team management.

Cheteshwar Pujara (AP)

“I don’t think there is too much talk (on the inside). In media, it is described differently but the team management has been backing me on this completely. There is no pressure from the captain, coach or anyone else,” Pujara, who is currently getting much-needed family time due to the COVID-19 outbreak, told PTI.

Whether it is playing for Saurashtra or India, Pujara is used to constant chatter around his strike-rate.

“I just want to clarify that when it comes to strike rate people start pointing towards team management’s take on it but there is no pressure on me at all. The team management understands my style of play and its importance.” For someone who averages 48.66 in 77 Tests, perception counts for little.

“The question that was asked on social media (during Ranji final) was ‘why am I taking so long to score X number of runs’? Whether I pay attention to that, no, I don’t. My job is to make sure that the team wins at all times.

“People have this tendency to pinpoint one person but it is just not about me. If you look at any Test series where I have scored runs and taken little bit of time, the opposition batsmen, most of them, have consumed same number of balls.

Pujara agreed that he cannot be scoring quickly like a David Warner or a Virender Sehwag but also pointed out that there is nothing wrong in taking a bit of time in red ball cricket.

“I know I can’t be a David Warner or Virender Sehwag but if a normal batsman takes time there is nothing wrong in that.” The entire batting unit had a tough time in New Zealand with the 0-2 loss in Tests marking the end of the international season. Pujara collected five half centuries this season, including one in New Zealand, but could not add to his 18 hundreds.

“People expect big knocks from me. I always challenge myself to score a 100 but to average close to 50 in Tests means you are scoring a half-century almost every second innings.

“My standards are always high and I am not satisfied with the season that I had but I would not call it a bad one at all.” It may be boring and exhausting for majority of the fans, batting time and wearing out the opposition excites Pujara the most. Asked why they don’t make it like him anymore, Pujara gave a practical response.

“I don’t think it is on the decline (art of batting time). There is value for it. May be the youngsters are not inclined towards this format. It is a fact that there are more games in white-ball cricket. A youngster would want to play shorter formats because it is financially better.

“There is nothing wrong with that but they should understand that real cricket is Test cricket and you will be judged only on the performances in the five-day game.” With uncertainty over the upcoming county season in the UK due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Pujara has no game time lined up in the near future. The biggest international assignment for him this season is the tour of Australia and he can’t be more fired up for that.

(With PTI inputs)