There are no issues with Pujara’s technique - Dravid

There are no issues with Pujara’s technique – Dravid: India A coach and former India Captain Rahul Dravid said that reports of technical flaws in Cheteshwar Pujara’s batting bear no substance. The 27-year-old Pujara is currently the skipper of the India A team, which is playing Australia A in the 1st of the two unofficial Test matches, slated between July 22 and 25 and from July 29 to August.

Pujara, who had stepped into the shoes of Dravid after he vacated India’s No 3 Test position, has been going through a rough batting patch for sometime that saw him lose his position in the team. He lost his place in the test side after a disappointing outing in England and Australia. While several former players questioned his technique and ability to adapt to alien conditions Dravid chose to offer support and insisted that there were no major issues with the Saurashtra batsman’s technique.

Dravid said, “A player like Pujara will find the way, he has got the desire, the hunger, he is looking to get better, he has got the technique, and he is keen to improve. It is just a matter of time that he comes back and gets a chance to play in the eleven and one or two scores will change things for him”.

“Pujara is fine, he is a class, quality player. He had a good start to his international career. There were a few series which didn’t go the way he wanted. And it is natural. I don’t think there is too much wrong with him technically. We had a few conversations with him even before coming here. We will try to look at his mind set where he is at,” he added.

Dravid also praised Pujara’s decision to play for Yorkshire in the County season and said that it would help add to his experience. “It’s good to have county experience. I myself had a small stint with Kent. Pujara might not have played the entire season but the experience he gathered playing in different conditions, different dressing rooms, and different set of players will help”.

Meanwhile, despite losing his place in the Test side, Pujara remaines upbeat about the season to come and said that he hadn’t planned drastic changes to his technique. “Overall, if you see my career, I have scored runs with the same technique. There is nothing wrong with my technique and I just need to stick to what I know,” he reasoned. “It is more about mental preparation and correcting few things which will help me in my batting. It was just a phase that I have not scored many runs. But, I will be working hard on my game and hopefully I will get some success, technically you need to be correct and concentration level has to be up to the mark to score runs over there”, the India A skipper added.

Pujara is confident that he will be able to perform along with the additional responsibility of leading the team. Asked if he feels pressure to make a comeback to the India’s playing eleven, Pujara said, “As a cricketer whether I am in playing eleven or not, I have got to improve. That is what I look to do. To be in playing eleven is not in my hands. What I am going to do is to improve my game. Ultimately, I will get my opportunities. I just need to be patient and keep working on my game.

Heaping praise on Dravid, Pujara said the mere presence of the former Indian legend makes a huge difference in the dressing room. “All the players are excited under Rahul’s coaching. He has been guiding all the players, both seniors and youngsters. He had lot of success in his career and so he knows all the aspects of the game starting from physical and mental skills. Overall, if you talk about the team, we have been having very good environment. Rahul as a coach is making sure that every player is comfortable and he is open for any conversation”.

“Rahul as a coach is making sure that every player is comfortable and he is open for any conversation. The atmosphere in the dressing room and practice areas is really relaxed. Such good environment allows players to succeed. It gives them best opportunity and the freedom to play the way they want.”