Getting dropped after playing 90 Tests does play with your ego, ‘frustrated’ Pujara admits

A modern-day Test great, Cheteshwar Pujara, admitted he was frustrated over facing the axe from Test format now and then. The stalwart of 103 Tests, Pujara said even after giving everything to this game and doing it for the team, he has to prove himself again. The right-handed batter last played during the World Test Championship Final against Australia and got dropped from the Test side after that, missing the two-match Test series against West Indies.

Having returned to playing County for Sussex, Pujara, in a recent conversation with The Final Word Podcast, said he has been through ups and downs in his career, but at this stage, where he played over 100 Tests and scored over 7000 runs, getting dropped from the Test pinches more.

The right heir to Rahul Dravid for India at the number three position, Pujara added the challenge will always remain but is optimistic about making a comeback into the Test side, as he believes he still belongs there.

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"There have been ups and downs in the last few years, and it tests you as a player because having played say more than 90 Test matches when I got dropped, I still had to prove myself, I still had to prove that I belonged there. It’s a different type of challenge," Pujara told The Final Word podcast on the sidelines of his county stint with Sussex.

"Sometimes you do get frustrated, even if you have to prove yourself after 90 Tests and five-six thousand, whatever number of runs I had scored, it’s not easy.

Pujara said having attained success at the international level, after proving yourself in every country, getting sidelined plays a little with the ego.

"Sometimes it plays around with your ego. Having been successful at the international level for so many years, there are still doubts - are you good enough? And if you have to prove yourself again and again, [you wonder] whether it is worth it," Pujara added.

'I still have a lot to contribute'

With India set to tour South Africa later this year and England touring India for five Test early next year, Rohit Sharma-led side will need a solid number three to make things work on both occasions, and who better than Pujara?

The Test star said he believes his comeback is near, as his contributions to the team are there to see for everyone.

"I keep telling myself that I know I belong there," Pujara said.

"I know that the kind of contributions I have made to Indian cricket, I still have a lot to contribute. I was given an interesting stat some time ago where I was told that whenever I have scored more than 70 or 80 runs for the Indian team, it is about 80% of the times India have gone on to win... or we haven't lost that particular Test match. So I know if I score runs for the Indian team, most times we are on the winning side,” he added.

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