India v England: Cheteshwar Pujara says positive approach is paying off
Wednesday 7 December 2016 15:50, UK
India's Cheteshwar Pujara says a more positive approach has helped with his batting during the Test series against England.
Pujara has hit two hundreds already in the series, and is averaging 56.33; a return to form after being dropped during the Test tour of the West Indies in August.
In an interview with Sky Sports - which you can watch in full during the fourth Test, on Sky Sports 2 from Thursday - Pujara explained how some advice from his head coach, Anil Kumble, helped him.
"It was disappointing to be out of the team," said Pujara. "There was a phase where I was a little unsure of whether to hang around a bit more, or look to score runs.
"I would like to thank Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble, because both of them really helped me. They told me to stick to the basics, but have that intent to dominate bowlers.
"That is something I have worked on, and it has really helped me as I have now struck the right balance between defence and attack.
"It's not just about the strike-rate - there has been a lot of talk about my strike-rate - as Anil told me that strike-rate is for bowlers to worry about, not batsmen.
"I'd scored many runs before at international level, and in first-class cricket, so I knew it was just a matter of time till I was back in from.
"But it's about having that intent to look for boundaries - when you get that bad ball, make sure you hit it, because otherwise you put pressure on yourself."
Pujara thinks this 'positive' approach is benefiting the whole team, and is a key reason as to why the hosts currently lead the five-Test series 2-0.
"At times, I've felt England are trying to bowl negative lines," added Pujara. "They are trying to bowl wide outside off-stump. But we knew if we kept leaving the ball well, we'd eventually get our runs.
"When our fast bowlers come on, we're always looking to take wickets - obviously there are times where you need to be defensive, but overall we look to be positive."
Live Test Cricket
Live coverage from the fourth Test between India and England in Mumbai begins from 3.30am on Thursday, on Sky Sports 2. You can also follow our over-by-over commentary, including in-play video clips of all the key moments, on our live blog across selected digital platforms.
