One of India’s modern day stalwarts in Test cricket, Cheteshwar Pujara is like an embodiment of a monk who meditates with his bat. Players like him are very rare in this generation. His exceptional ability to concentrate and bat through long spells makes him a very crucial player for India especially when he manages to grind out difficult sessions.
Pujara was recently asked about his calm demeanor and his ability to concentrate. He shared that he stays away from social media and other distractions. He understands what is needed for him to attain success and does not need to go through people’s opinions about him.
The Saurashtra based cricketer is someone who has made himself an indispensable name in this Indian batting lineup in Test cricket and that is due to his flawless performances in the longest format of the game. The 35-year-old batter has scored 7021 runs in 99 matches at 44.15 with 19 centuries. His best of 206* came against England in Ahmedabad in 2012.
Apart from staying away from social media, Pujara also shared that he uses his phone very less and feels that it adds to the distraction in life. He feels that staying away from social media has helped him massively and it has allowed him clarity in his thoughts rather than going through people’s opinions which hardly matters to him.
“Apart from talking to friends and family, not much, I do agree. So there is one less distraction. Also, I try to avoid social media. As a sportsperson you need to be active on social media – that’s a different thing. But I don’t try and see what other people, celebrities, are doing,” Pujara told ESPN Cricinfo as he nears his 100th Test match for the country.
Sharing more on the topic, Pujara shared that positive or negative comments don’t bother him much and hence he has taken a conscious decision of staying away from social media. The veteran batter understands his methods and routines for success and has followed it for years now.
“Even when someone is talking about me on social media, whether it is positive or negative, I stay away. Because I know my methods, I know my routine, I know what I have to do to become successful. When you have done that over a period of time, you figure out a way and you stick to that,” the 35-year-old batter added.
Pujara opened up on his secrets that help him concentrate better as he highlights his le routines and his spirituality as the primary reasons for his superior concentration levels. He also credited Yoga as a massive help in maintaining calmness and focus. “It is about how you are as a person, how your journey has been. I live a very simple life and that’s the reason I don’t get distracted by too many things. Also, as a person I believe in God and that’s a strength which gives me a lot of positivity when you are going through a tough time.”
India won the first test match in Nagpur by a big margin against Australia in the Border Gavaskar Trophy. But Pujara got out cheaply as he chased a leg side delivery and top edged it to short leg where Scott Boland grabbed with complete comfort. Hence Pujara will be seeking redemption in the second test at the Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi which starts on 17th February.
