Cheteshwar Pujara was trending for all the right reasons after stepping away from international cricket. India's rock at number three announced his retirement with an emotional post on his Instagram account on Sunday, August 24. The veteran, best known for his heroics in Test cricket, played 103 matches in the format, known as the toughest, and aced batting at number three, arguably one of the toughest positions to bat in Tests. The 37-year-old, who hails from Rajkot, spoke about how he inspired a lot of young players to never give up on your dreams.
In a heartfelt interview, the former cricketer reflects on his wonderful Test journey, which had all the highs and lows, yet was a riveting one. Pujara, who lost his mother when he was just 17, said that he was inspired to be a good human being first by his mom.
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"He played a major role in my cricketing journey. He made me disciplined from a very young age, while other kids were enjoying life. But it’s my mother who taught me life lessons. Even though she passed away when I was 17, she made me become the person I am. She would tell me, ‘No matter how big you become in cricket, I want you to become a good human being’. And my wife’s sacrifices and my daughter’s support. Kids teach you to stay in the present," Pujara said to Hindustan Times.
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The veteran cricketer also spoke about how he dared to dream despite hailing from a small town in Rajkot. He said he always did the basics right and trusted more in the process, rather than the end result.
"In spite of scoring tons of runs, because I played for Saurashtra, people would say I scored on flat pitches, which wasn’t the case. I used to score everywhere. I was tagged in a certain manner at times. So, I had to fight it out, but it also made me a better player, because sometimes when you are given an opportunity very early, you don’t value it. As a kid, I dreamt of playing for India. Coming from a small city like Rajkot, not many even dreamt that way. It was next to impossible. When I made my debut, it was a dream come true."
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Pujara reflects on his dip in average post 2019
Pujara also spoke about his dip in form in Tests. Before 2019, he averaged a shade below 50. However, after that year, the right-hand batter's average started dipping, which resulted in him being dropped from the team. Although he was recalled, the Rajkot player could never stamp his class like he did before 2019.
"One, I thought that we started playing on very challenging pitches. Some were almost unplayable…you needed to be lucky to have scored a 50. Since WTC, most teams started producing pitches with games finishing in three days or so. If you were playing conventional cricket, scoring runs was difficult. One had to play more shots, play with more freedom, but by the time you realized it was too late. To find rhythm, to find form, it didn’t happen. If you look at current cricket, again, teams have realized that you can play on good pitches and still produce results."
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After retirement, Pujara is also open to taking a coaching career, as he says he wants to give back to the game, which has given him so much love and adulation.
