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Following his retirement, Pujara opened up on how he dealt with blows on his body while batting, especially in the 2021 tour of Australia.
Cheteshwar Pujara during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2020-21
Sunday saw the end of an era of Indian cricket with the retirement of Test stalwart Cheteshwar Pujara. He took to his social media accounts to make the announcement via an emotional post. A veteran of 103 Tests, Pujara retired with over 7000 runs and 19 hundreds in the format.
The numbers speak volumes about Pujara’s dominance in the longest format of the game. And who would know his brilliance better than the Aussies? The right-hand batter played some memorable knocks during the Australia tours in 2018-19 and 2020-21. He was adjudged the Player of the Series when India pocketed the 4-match tour 2-1 under Virat Kohli’s leadership in 2019. Two years later, when the visitors looked to defend the trophy, his grit and determination left the Australians frustrated once again.
Following his retirement, Pujara opened up on how he dealt with blows on his body while batting, especially in the 2021 tour of Australia.
“In moments like these, it is important to look at the bigger picture. You are batting for your team, billions are looking up to you and wanting and praying for the team to do well with the series on the line. When you get hit on the body, you do get shattered sometimes, but then you have to keep your calm. You have to trust yourself, the game and the ability,” Pujara told The Indian Express.
“Getting hit once or twice is fine, but when it hits repeatedly on the same spot, the pain becomes unbearable. That’s where the mental toughness comes in. That’s when your dedication and love for the country come in. I believe in God, and he gives me strength. In tough times, you need that spiritual power, which is something beyond human understanding. I get strength that I cannot describe, but I get strength”, he further added.
Cheteshwar Pujara is the second-fastest Indian to score 1,000 Test runs and, following his double century against Australia in March 2017, rose to a career-best No. 2 in the ICC Test batting rankings. He also became the 11th Indian to cross 6,000 runs in Test cricket.
A cricket enthusiast whose dreams of playing for India paved the way for a compelling journey in journalism. With a comprehensive coverage spanning international and domestic cricket across formats, I have had …Read More
A cricket enthusiast whose dreams of playing for India paved the way for a compelling journey in journalism. With a comprehensive coverage spanning international and domestic cricket across formats, I have had … Read More
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