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Rediff.com  » Cricket » Consistency is the most important part, says Pujara
This article was first published 11 years ago

Consistency is the most important part, says Pujara

Last updated on: November 24, 2012 19:42 IST

Image: Cheteshwar Pujara
Photographs: Gareth Copley/Getty Images

England's bowlers must have heaved a huge sigh of relief when they saw the back of Indian run machine Cheteshwar Pujara.

After all, it took them as many as 790 deliveries to get his prized wicket.

- Scorecard | Match Report

It was the first time in three innings that England had managed to breach through the right-hander's defences.

He was stumped by wicketkeeper Matt Prior off Graeme Swann after another magnificent innings of 135 during day two of the second Test in Mumbai, on Saturday.

Pujara has so far spent a total of 1016 minutes, since he started with an unbeaten double century in the first Test in Ahmedabad and his tally now reads 382 runs in three innings.

"Consistency is the most important part as a batsman. I am happy that I am able to perform consistently and this is what I always like to do.

"I have done the same thing even in the domestic format, and I am happy that I have been able to do that at the international level as well," the 24-year-old batsman said.

'Satisfying to score a hundred on a difficult wicket'

Image: Cheteshwar Pujara
Photographs: Gareth Copley/Getty Images

He also rates this innings higher than his unbeaten 206 he made in the first Test since the pitch was a bit more difficult to bat on and when the team was in a spot of bother.

"This was better than the Ahmedabad innings. This innings was more satisfying than the double hundred because we were in trouble and the team needed bit of score on the board and I thought even the wicket was difficult to bat on.

"So, yeah it was satisfying to score a hundred on a difficult wicket," he said.

Tags: Ahmedabad

'Wrong to compare with Dravid'

Image: Cheteshwar Pujara

It is not surprising that Pujara, who bats at No. 3, has evoked comparisons with India's batting legend Rahul Dravid, who also batted in the same position.

"I have always said that it is a wrong comparison [with Dravid] as he has scored more than 10000 runs in both the formats.

"I am just starting the career and I don't want to put any pressure on myself. I just want to play my natural game and I want to continue to do well for Team India. I don't have any long terms plans at the moment," he said.

While Pujara has been earmarked as the future of Indian Test cricket he is not in the scheme of things when it comes to the limited overs format. Already in his short career, Pujara has been labeled as a Test specialist and his name has not even come close to selection in the ODI and T20 teams.

'I can play the ODI format as well'

Image: Cheteshwar Pujara
Photographs: Gareth Copley/Getty Images

When asked if he was comfortable with the Test specialist tag, he replied: "I don't think so. I can play the ODI format as well. In the domestic cricket, I have been very successful in the Challenger Trophies, and I think I will get my chance in the ODI format as well, and I just need to keep going myself as a batsman."

India's spin trio of R Ashwin, Pragyan Ojha and Harbhajan Singh failed to make much of an impression with the ball.

On the other hand, England's Monty Panesar (5-129) and Graeme Swann (4-70) had fared much better on a wicket offering a lot of assistance to the spinners.

Pujara pointed out that the wicket had slowed down a bit and batting was much easier against the spinners on day two as compared to the first day.

"Initially it was difficult but I think the wicket is slowing down a bit and it is easy to play shots now. But we will get to know as the day progresses, as we have two more days, and it might turn later on.

"But let's see, it's very difficult to predict the wicket at the moment," he said.

On India's game plan for the day three, he replied: "Well, we needed more wickets to be honest. And couple of decisions went against us and still I think we bowled decently.

"Tomorrow it will be different day, and it turns a bit more in the first session. So, we have to utilize that and get some more wickets."