Cheteshwar Pujara had a decent outing with Yorkshire © Getty Images
Kolkata: Cheteshwar Pujara says his stint with the English county side Yorkshire has helped him rectify the flaws in his batting and is ready to bat at any position when the Indian team square off with Bangladesh in the one-off Test in Fatullah from Wednesday. Read: Cheteshwar Pujara slams ton for Yorkshire vs Hampshire in County Division One match
Pujara has flattered to deceive, specially in the tough overseas conditions over the last year but is ready to make amends for disappointing form last year. “During the Australia tour, I was batting well but I wasn’t converting the starts. I was getting 30s, 40s then I was getting out. So then I thought about it. I had a word with my father who is coaching me and I even had a word with Rahul (Dravid). So I found out what was wrong and worked upon it to get adjusted and played in those challenging conditions in Yorkshire,” Pujara said Pujara told media ahead of team’s departure to Bangladesh. Read: Cheteshwar Pujara could go the Rahul Dravid way in making a comeback
Asked about conditions in Fatullah set to be different from English conditions. “When I came back I had enough time to practise back home on Indian pitches. I really enjoyed playing for Yorkshire,. The weather was cold. Cricket was challenging so I learnt many things. Playing on challenging wickets does help,” he added. Pujara said he is flexible about his batting position. “As a batsman, I always believed that you have to be flexible whatever is the team’s requirement. I batted at number three for many years but I am really flexible. I am comfortable at any number,” he said. Read: Kohli: India will focus on results rather than learning during Bangladesh series
Seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who has had modest IPL with Sunrisers Hyderabad, said that switching to Test format would not be a difficult task but bowling on flat Bangladesh pitches will be a very demanding. “It’s totally different ball game – from playing Test and playing T20s. What is needed is a bit of practise with the red ball and the conditions also. It’s going to be difficult being a bowler in Bangladesh because of the conditions and the weather so we have to work as a bowling unit. We have to back each other, take care of each other,” he said.
Asked about his goal, Bhuvneshwar said that he would like to be fully fit for the entire duration unlike Australia where he missed majority of the Test series due to ankle injury that also bothered him till the end of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015. “My main motive was to be fit for the tour,” he said adding, “I don’t think that the bowlers are lacking somewhere. In Australia series, wickets were really difficult. We are very confident that we will do well in the coming series in Bangladesh.” Read: Virat Kohli: India hold no grudge against Bangladesh