What’s the story?
Indian batsman Cheteshwar Pujara has revealed that Rahul Dravid was the best former teammate he played with, adding that he admired the 44-year-old and as the years went by, his game began to shape like that of the former right-hander.
“I had three idols growing up. Sachin, Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly.There have been many (great team-mates) but I was fortunate to play with Rahul Dravid. He's someone I admire and is one of my inspirations,"
“Somewhere down the line my technique and temperament became more like Rahul,” the 29-year-old revealed in a podcast.
In case you didn’ know...
Pujara is right now in England, playing for county side Nottinghamshire. This is the third team for whom the right-hander is playing for on the English domestic circuit, having played for Yorkshire and Derbyshire earlier.
In his last game for Notts, Pujara slammed a hundred in the second innings to help the side win their four-day match against Gloucestershire by an innings and 50 runs.
Extra Cover: Cheteshwar Pujara slams a century on home debut for Nottinghamshire
The heart of the matter
In the same podcast, He further revealed that when he sustained his first Anterior Cruciate Ligament(ACL) injury, that was the period which was the toughest for him and when he found out he needed to undergo a surgery, he was almost in tears.
He also said that his family was extremely supportive of him during such a time and gave him the confidence that his turn would come once he recovered fully from the injury.
What’s next?
India are currently playing the Champions Trophy, having begun their campaign in victorious fashion against arch-rivals Pakistan in Edgbaston on Sunday. Pujara's next assignment with the side is likely to be in July when the team travels to Sri Lanka for a full-fledged series.
Author's take
It is not surprising to hear Pujara name Dravid as the best teammate he has played with. Both players have similar qualities like a water-tight defense, studiousness about batting and a humility to admire about. It, however, remains to be seen if the right-hander matches or exceeds Dravid as a batsman when his career comes to a close.
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