JOIN USCheteshwar Pujara has been saddled with the responsibility of taking forward the legacy of Rahul Dravid even before he cut his teeth in international cricket.
A prolific run-getter in the domestic circuit, Pujara further raised the stakes for himself when he produced a sparkling 72 on his debut against Australia in 2010 in Bangalore, replacing a struggling Dravid at No 3.
After a couple of failures in South Africa and a long-injury lay off he sustained during IPL-4, Pujara is back in the national side. Only this time with a clear mandate that he would be filling in for the retired stalwart. The player himself, however, maintained a low-profile, dismissing any comparisons between him and Dravid as premature.
On Thursday, after notching up an unbeaten ton against New Zealand the right-hander appeared at peace with himself though not unaware of the reality. “I don’t think I can replace Rahul,” he remarked again when he was asked if he is ready to fill the void now.
“Obviously it is a great feeling. It is a dream to score a century in Tests. It is a great feeling. (But) It is impossible to do so (replace Dravid). I just wanted to play my own game. It’s a privilege to be playing in his position,” Pujara noted.
The youngster, though, said that he wasn’t intimidated by the idea of batting at number three.
“I knew that I was going to bat at the No 3 position. I have the experience of playing at this position as I have done it several times in domestic cricket. It is not a new thing for me. I was not really worried about it nor was I under any pressure when I went out.”
The difficult period, Pujara felt, while recovering from a long injury lay-off had made him tougher. “Obviously I am happy that all my hard work is paying off. One tends to become mentally tough after going through a tough phase in life. I too went through a difficult period especially with the injury. It was bad for me and my family too. But deep in my heart I knew that I would be able to make a comeback to the Indian team and play the game which I love so much,” he observed.
Pujara dedicated his maiden Test century to his father and coach Arvind. “I wish to dedicate this century to my father. He has been a keen supporter of me and though he has had lot of difficulties he has helped me pursue my dream. Even after he had a bypass surgery, he was taking care of me. I wish to thank my family for it.”