'You get shattered': Pujara on battling body blows in Australia
What's the story
Cheteshwar Pujara, who recently announced his retirement from all forms of cricket, has opened up about the physical challenges he faced while batting. In an interview with The Indian Express, the veteran cricketer recalled his experience during India's 2021 tour of Australia. He spoke about how he dealt with body blows while batting and how mental toughness played a key role in overcoming these challenges.
Mental toughness
Trust yourself during tough times: Pujara
Pujara said, "When you get hit on the body, you do get shattered sometimes, but then you have to keep your calm." He emphasized the importance of trusting oneself and having faith in one's abilities during such difficult times. The 37-year-old cricketer also highlighted that getting hit once or twice is manageable but repeated hits on the same spot can make the pain unbearable.
Source of strength
Spiritual power helps Pujara in tough times
Pujara further added that his dedication and love for the country come into play when dealing with such pain. He said, "I believe in God and he gives me strength. In tough times you need that spiritual power, which is something beyond human understanding." The cricketer also spoke about how he drew strength from his faith during these challenging moments on the field.
Gabba innings
Gabba Test and Pujara's pain threshold
Pujara's resilience was on full display during India's historic win at the Gabba in 2021. He scored 56 runs off 211 balls but was hit by Australia's fast bowlers 11 times. Despite the physical punishment, he stood firm and helped set up Rishabh Pant's match-winning innings. His decision to take blows instead of defending with his bat was a strategic move to avoid getting out caught-behind.
Strategy
'Defending wasn't safe option for me'
Pujara explained his strategy, saying, "There was the option of defending with the bat, but it wasn't the safe option because the ball could hit your glove and go to short leg, leg slip or gully or you can be out caught-behind." His approach was aimed at keeping his wicket intact while also ensuring India's victory in a crucial Test match.
Career
Test career in numbers
Coming to his career, Pujara compiled 7,195 runs across 103 Test matches at an average of 43.60 (19 tons and 35 half-centuries). Pujara was India's mainstay No. 3 batter in Tests for nearly a decade. He played several momentous knocks at home and overseas. He was a part of two of India's Border-Gavaskar series wins in Australia (2018/19 & 2020/21).