Rahul Dravid is my inspiration: Pujara
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|| Desk Report ||
India Test batting linchpin Cheteshwar Pujara described former country great Rahul Dravid as his inspiration in life, stating that he spoke to him that gave him a lot of clarity about his playing philosophy.
Both batsmen batted at the same position in the longer version of the game for their country and Pujara has admired the way Dravid has helped him consolidate his batting position and the overall cricketing philosophy.
“He helped me understand the importance of switching off from cricket. I had the same thought, more or less, but when I spoke to him, it gave me a lot of clarity about it and I was sure of what I needed to do,” Cheteshwar Pujara said.
“I also saw in county cricket how they keep personal and professional lives separate. I value that advice a lot. Many people consider me to be focused. Yes, I am focused, but I also know when to switch off. There is life beyond cricket,” Pujara told ESPNcricinfo.
“I can’t say in one line what Rahul bhai means to me. He has always been an inspiration, and will remain one,” he added.
His mental fortitude and batting technique is often compared to Dravid but Pujara said he never tried to ‘copy him’ ‘despite my enchantment with this great batsman.’
“There is a similarity in our games, but that's not because of my fascination with him. That came mainly through my experiences with Saurashtra, where I learned that scoring a hundred alone isn’t enough, you have to carry your team,” the all-rounder said.
“That is how I learned responsibility -- it is about helping my team to raise a big total, and for that I ought to attach importance to my wicket. I learned that from my junior cricket days with Saurashtra, which a weaker team was in domestic cricket,” he concluded.
