'If you play for your spot, you're just another selfish cricketer': Cheteshwar Pujara frustrated but still hopeful of comeback

Cheteshwar Pujara was dropped from the Test squad after India faced a second consecutive defeat in the WTC final

SportsTak

• Mon • 21 Aug 2023

India's veteran batter Cheteshwar Pujara on August 21 opened up about getting snubbed from India's Test squad. Pujara said that the news left him frustrated and bruised his ego. Pujara was dropped after India's loss in World Test Championship (WTC) 2023 final to Pat Cummins-led Australia. Pujara could not make an impact in the all-important final and registered scores of 14 and 27.

Despite getting dropped and losing his No. 3 spot to Shubman Gill, Pujara is looking to work on himself rather than worrying about it.

"In my cricketing career, I have been put under pressure so many times where I've lost my spot in the team. But you just try and play for the team. You don't try and play for your spot,” he told the Final Word Podcast.

"If you play for your spot, you're just another selfish cricketer who is just being there in the playing XI, playing for the spot but not contributing to the team."

Pujara also recalled that he has made valuable contributions to the team and most of the time ended in team winning or drawing the Test because of his performances.

"I know that the kind of contributions I have made to Indian cricket, I still have a lot to contribute. I was given an interesting stat some time ago.

"I was told that whenever I have scored more than 70 or 80 runs for the Indian team, about 80% of the time India have gone on to win...or we haven't lost that particular Test match," the 35-year-old said.

The Saurashtra batter also said that the need to prove himself, again and again, has left him frustrated at times.

"There have been ups and downs in the last few years. It tests you as a player because having played, say more than 90 Test matches, I still had to prove myself. I still had to prove that I belonged there. It's a different type of challenge," the veteran of 103 Tests said.

"Sometimes you do get frustrated, even if you have to prove yourself after 90 Tests and five-six thousand, whatever number of runs I had scored. It's not easy. Sometimes it plays around with your ego. There are still doubts - are you good enough.

"If you have to prove yourself again and again, (you wonder) whether it is worth it," said Pujara who has been in good form for Sussex in County Championship Division Two and One-Day Domestic Cup.