Cheteshwar Pujara doesn't watch IPL on TV

The Indian Premier League (IPL) has given chances to a lot of young domestic players to represent the national team in the blue jersey. Meanwhile, there are several players who have been ignored by the various franchise owners in the IPL auction. One such player who returned disappointed after missing out on an IPL contract is Indian Test team’s most consistent performer- Cheteshwar Pujara.

Pujara was earlier been a part of the Kings XI Punjab side where he was not picked up due to his form in the shortest form of cricket. He finished the home season as the leading run-scorer, with a haul of 1316 runs at an average of 62.66, including four hundereds. The No. 4 placed batsman on the ICC Test Rakings has distanced himself from the tournament, despite its popularity in India.

Pujara, who walks in at No.3 made several trips to the Great Rann of Kutch, spending time with the family and friends. On April 7th, he showed up on invitation at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot. The batsman, however, does not follow the IPL on Television, has instead spent time with his family.

“It’s either practice or fitness training almost the entire day and it can’t be cricket 24 hours,” Pujara told the New Indian Express. “The switch-off happens in the evenings, when I’m with family or friends. That’s why I don’t watch IPL on TV, not because I’m not part of it. I watch occasionally, mostly if someone else is watching.”

The 29-year-old sounded was self-critical he was asked about the home season, where he failed to convert his starts into big scores on regular occasions, including a dismissal on 92 against the Aussies.

“It’s fantastic to have contributed to the team’s success, but I thought I gave away my wicket too many times. There were starts that I couldn’t convert. I’ve to improve in this area. I’m known to get big hundreds and have got them since my junior days.”

All that Pujara hopes for is to improve his game with the bat and without an IPL contract, he has ample time to hone his skills in the off-season.