Cheteshwar Pujara: 'The most important thing is to score runs. How you score hardly matters'
The India No. 3 talks about his partnership with Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant in Brisbane, and looks ahead to the England series

Cheteshwar Pujara: "If I'm defending well and that's frustrating the bowlers and they are unable to get me out, then I am winning the battle" • Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images
He is one of the best timers of the ball. He has a natural ability to react to the ball a little earlier. He gets that extra fraction of time to judge the length, the line, and then play his shots, whether it be the pull or a cover drive. He has quick hands and his downswing is so good that even when he defends the ball, with that timing, sometimes, it goes for two or three runs. Sometimes it feels like he is playing with hard hands, but he is so good at his timing.
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Gill's strength lies in the way he plays and that is why he is successful. If he tries to bat time or tries to defend for longer periods, it could pose a challenge for him. I can take the bowlers on too, but if I feel I need to hang back a little, I can do that as well. I can bat according to the situation. At that time, I felt it wasn't wise to take the bowlers on because Gill was already doing that.
Kind of. I felt if he could get out, it was only from that end [where Pujara was batting].
There were times I did try doing that, but most of the times I got two instead of a single or three runs. I didn't want to do anything extra just to get to the other end, because if I'm defending well and that's frustrating the bowlers and they are unable to get me out, then I am winning the battle. It is not that I don't want to rotate the strike, but there were limited options, and I did not want to expose myself to getting out to just take a single.
Shubman thought he had to take Starc on. He was very confident of the way he was batting, playing his pull and cut well. To be honest, Starc didn't bowl well in that spell. Whenever I got a loose ball, I also hit him. That was part of our strategy. Like I said, in the first session I will be quiet, but in the second session, I told myself I am going to play my shots whether it is Cummins, [Josh] Hazlewood or Starc.
He just told me hang around, play my natural game, and not think too much about the scoreboard and the time left. He came with a positive mindset, looking to play the shots, which helped us. It looked like they were under pressure as the partnership was building. We were in command because their bowlers were a little tired and it was our time to dominate.
Yes, Jinks [Rahane] mentioned it after the game that we needed a batsman from one end who could give assurance to the batting unit, because with wickets in hand, we could accelerate at any point later. Rohit also said it was an important role I had played. Both spoke to me personally. Everyone in the team knew that someone had to play that role for us to win or even draw the game, because if we lost early wickets, they would come hard at us.
The Sydney match was a positive for us, although it was a draw. We had our chance even there to win. Australia bowled well with the second new ball. But I was very, very confident. That ball by Hazlewood [that bowled Pujara in the second innings at the SCG] was a good one, but if I had survived a few more overs in Sydney, I was seeing the finishing line when I was batting. I had got three boundaries in a row against Cummins off the second new ball, so I was confident.
Yes, I have heard from many coaches that intent can be leaving the ball well. Intent can be defending the ball well. It can be playing the session well. As long as you are positive in your intent - whether you are defending, leaving, or playing your shots. The definition of intent is different and it is different all the time. Intent is not just about scoring runs.
I don't think it was a wrong strategy at all, because the pitch was such that if they placed another fielder on the off side, it would open up a gap for me to score runs against Lyon. Since I have been scoring some runs against Lyon, their strategy was to keep it tight when he was bowling and, at the same time, [see] if he could pick up few wickets. There wasn't a lot of assistance for him early on when he came to bowl on the final day and they felt that he had to be a little defensive on that pitch.
I know I was winning that battle. He is a great bowler and he knows I'm a good batsman, so there is mutual respect for each other. But I felt I had a little edge because I had also scored against him in previous series.
I was down the pitch and was very confident that it would be very difficult for the ball to hit the stumps. There was enough bounce and the ball had spun a lot. The review showed it was not hitting the stumps. It was also said there was no shot played, but actually I was looking to play that ball and it spun a bit more [than I expected], so it ended up hitting the pad. It was not that I was looking to pad that ball. I was looking to play it.
If I am successful with my method, I don't need to take any risk. Even if you hit over the top, you just get four runs, and two extra if you clear the fence. So the question is whether it's worth the risk. I don't think so. Somebody told me recently that I have one of the highest averages against spinners [Pujara's average is 75.92 for batsmen with 2000 or more Test runs from the start of 2010] among contemporary batsmen, including Joe Root [66.09], Virat Kohli [70.47], Steve Smith [56.61] and Kane Williamson [64.41]. What else do you want? The most important thing is to score runs. How you score it hardly matters. If I'm not taking a lot of risks and I'm still getting enough success, then why should I stop doing that? In a Test match, as a normal batsman, you don't look to go over the top of mid-off when a fast bowler is bowling unless there is a need. I think on similar lines [with spinners].
You never know. There could be a surprise (chuckles).
His work ethic. I have seen him bat for long periods of time as a team-mate during my stint with Yorkshire and as an opponent from the time he played against us on England's 2012 tour of India. As a batsman, he is clear about his game plans, knows his scoring areas, is clear about his strengths, understands his game very well, and all that shows in the success he has had in Test cricket.
The pace and bounce are different, firstly. Then the balls are different. There is some swing with the SG ball, but it doesn't last and swing as much as the Dukes ball in England. Anderson is very familiar with the conditions and the bowling areas in England and can accordingly plan and set up a batsman. However, when it comes to bowling in India, we have a little bit of an advantage - not just me, but the entire Indian batting unit. We know our strengths and game plans well. When you are familiar with the conditions, it does help.
He is fearless, not afraid to play his shots. Also, being a left-hander gives him an advantage. It frustrated the opposition bowling when there is a right-left combination. They seemed to struggle with the length. His knock in Brisbane was much, much better than what he did in Sydney. He played a brilliant innings in Sydney, too, when he scored 97 - I am not trying to take away any credit - but I felt this innings was under pressure and he handled it pretty well.
Not in particular, but I always try and communicate to young batsmen that you just need to understand the situation. If he [Pant] is at the crease, the opposition is under pressure. He is so destructive. Even if he is looking to defend, he will end up getting at least one boundary in two or three overs. So I was just telling him to try and make sure you make the right decision. Even if you want to play your shots, make sure you are clear in your mind. I will say this again: the most impressive part, for me, about Rishabh this time was the way he held himself back when it was needed in the last Test.
It can be, no doubt about that. But five-Test series in Covid times is not easy. I think it becomes too long, especially because players need to be part of a biosecure bubble. Mentally, it is very frustrating, especially when you are away from home.
Yes, it is one of the most important fifties I have scored. The other one I remember was also against Australia, in Bangalore in 2016-17 series where I scored 92. The other was Jo'burg [50], which came on one of the toughest pitches I have played on.
Without a doubt. It challenges you physically, mentally, emotionally, and in multiple ways. That can't happen in any other format. If you ask any white-ball player, even in death overs, I don't think anyone will say they feel more pressure than in Test cricket. This is the toughest format of the game.
She actually did that - kissed me on my hand. Forget about the injuries, when I returned home, the best part was she was so, so excited. She hugged me for almost a minute or two and she wasn't letting go of me. I was really, really happy to hold her and be back with my family.
Nagraj Gollapudi is news editor at ESPNcricinfo