Cheteshwar Pujara Claims He Still Has Aspirations to Play white-ball Cricket For Team India

Cheteshwar Pujara's last appearance in ODI came in 2014 against Bangladesh.

Test specialist Cheteshwar Pujara has claimed that he still has aspirations to play white-ball cricket for Team India. Pujara had made a big name for himself in Test cricket but he failed to make an impact in limited-overs cricket with the games he’s played. Pujara’s last appearance in ODI came in 2014 against Bangladesh.

Pujara has so far represented India in 5 ODIs and he is yet to make his debut in T20I cricket.

“I still have aspirations to play white-ball cricket for Team India, there’s no doubt about that. Yes, at the same time it becomes difficult when other guys are getting some match practice,” Pujara said on Sports Today.

Pujara has not been part of the Indian Premier League in the past couple of years after getting unsold.

The Indian talisman said he didn’t get any match practice before the Australia tour which made things a little difficult for him.

“After the lockdown, I didn’t have any match practice before the Australia tour so to prepare for that big series it became a little difficult. Otherwise, if there was no COVID then there would have been some first-class games which I would have played.”

Pujara claimed it was difficult for him to gain rhythm, concentration during the initial stage of the Australia tour due to lack of practice.

“But because of the COVID lockdown, there were not many FC games which I could play. I only played 1 game (warm-up match) before the Test series started so as a batter it was difficult to gain the rhythm, concentration. Early on it was difficult but as I started playing few more games, it took me a couple of Test matches to find the right way (to bat in Australia),” Pujara further said.

Pujara will next play for India in the England series, which will commence from February 5.