The runs made in Duleep trophy will help me against New Zealand: Cheteshwar Pujara

Cheteshwar Pujara might have been a bit inconsistent in the Test format recently but after a successful stint with India Blue in the Duleep Trophy, things look to have fallen in the right place for him.

For the thinkers of the game, Pujara didn’t look to be struggling. He was simply failing to capitalise the starts which he was getting. After the unbeaten 145 against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka, Pujara has somewhat not been able to score runs in his natural form.

The home series against South Africa which followed was a silent affair while the recent concluded West Indies tour also was underwhelming according to his standards.

In an interview with BCCI.tv, Pujara opened about many factors and spoke about his batting too. When asked about his bare runs column in the recent times, he was quoted saying, “I always believed that I was batting well though I didn’t score big runs. I spoke to Rahul Dravid and he told me that there wasn’t any technical flaw.”

“He told me it was just about changing the mental aspect of my game. The moment I started thinking positively, I told myself that it was just a matter of time before I played a big innings and things would get back on track.”

He looked in stupendous form in the recently concluded Duleep trophy. In just two games in which he played from India Blue, the right-hander struck 453 runs. This run fest includes a neat 166 in the first game and a majestic 256*in the final. After struggling in the Caribbean, it finally seemed that he was back to his best.

When asked whether his outstanding run in the Duleep Trophy will help him get in shape at the international level, he said, “I would agree to the fact that the Duleep Trophy double century was a sort of an innings that I needed before the start of a Test series.”

“Actually, the 166 that I scored in my first game of the tournament was the turning point. That innings brought in me the confidence. Having said that, I feel I was batting well in West indies as well, especially in the second game where I scored 46 runs and got run out the moment I was about to accelerate.”

“I did get disappointed but I never let my confidence down. I knew it was just a matter of time. I am in a positive frame of mind after the Duleep Trophy. Those runs will definitely help me in the upcoming series against New Zealand. I don’t think I need to worry much about my batting now. I just need to stay focused.”

When asked about having played under MS Dhoni and currently Virat Kohli’s captaincy, how he views them as a leader, Pujara said, “One thing that is common between MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli as captains is that at the end of the day they want the team to win. The dressing room under both captains has a very good environment. I have enjoyed playing under Mahi bhai and at the moment enjoying my time playing under Virat’s captaincy.”

“Virat is very straightforward. He leads by example. I don’t need to talk about his batting because he has been scoring runs aplenty but if you see his fielding and fitness regimes, it inspires everyone in the dressing room. He sets the bar high for all the other players to follow. The team looks up to him and there will be individuals saying – I want to achieve this landmark.”