Team management completely fine with my slow approach, reveals Cheteshwar Pujara

03/19/2020

Cheteshwar Pujara, who has often come under fire for his slow strike rate, has revealed that he has never been pressurized by the team management to up his scoring rate and attested that they have full faith in his approach. Last week, Pujara’s fifty propelled Saurashtra to their maiden Ranji title.

Despite averaging close to 50 in Test cricket - and having served as a rock in the Indian batting lineup - Cheteshwar Pujara’s striking low scoring rate has often been a point of contention whilst discussing Indian cricket.

After India’s abject performance in the first Test against New Zealand - where Pujara scored a 81-ball 11 in the second innings - skipper Virat Kohli publicly chastised his batsmen’s approach and emphasized on the need to score runs quickly, especially in alien conditions away from home. In the very next Test, Pujara uncharacteristically fell attempting a wild hook and the shot, in turn, sparked speculations as to whether he did what he did due to peer pressure from the coach and the captain.

However, the 32-year-old has confirmed that contrary to media reports and speculation, the management have never had an issue with his approach and attested that they have full faith in the way he goes about his business. The right-hander reassured that the management have given him freedom to play how he wants.

"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 told Times of India.

"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."

Pujara’s strike rate once under came under scrutiny in the Ranji Trophy final last week, where he required a mammoth 237 balls to score 66 runs. The knock, however, propelled Saurashtra to their maiden Ranji Trophy title and the 32-year-old asserted that his job was to ensure that the runs were scored, with the scoring rate being the least of the concerns. Pujara further explained how, in Tests, he has often batted at the same pace as the opposition batsmen.

"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.”

The Saurashtra batsman, who has played 77 Tests for the nation, admitted that he does not have it in him to be a Warner or a Sehwag, but stated that there was nothing wrong with batsmen who take their time to get going.

"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."