Things will turn around, it is a matter of time, believes Cheteshwar Pujara

How do you look at your forthcoming stint in Yorkshire?

I am looking forward to it since it’s a good opportunity. Last year, I played county cricket for Derbyshire. This season, too, will be a good experience. I enjoy playing in those conditions and it’s a good exposure, a great learning experience. The wickets and conditions are different. It is a challenge to keep playing there. You feel comfortable as a batsman and as cricketer, too, you improve your game in tough conditions.

How upset are you about missing out on IPL?

See, it is overall. Now, I have this opportunity to play for Yorkshire. You have bad times in your career and to come out of it, you need to work hard. My first priority is to do well for Yorkshire. I have been trying to improve and work on my game, which I needed to in all aspects. I am developing as a cricketer. At times, I will have a good or a bad series, but the trick is to stay mentally tough and positive throughout, if you want to start playing well again.

You went unsold in the IPL auction. Do you believe that the Yorkshire offer is a blessing?

It is an honour for me since Sachin (Tendulkar) paaji played for that county. I, too, now have an opportunity to play for them. I am really looking forward to it. I followed Yorkshire on TV while I was playing for Derbyshire last year. They have set themselves a certain standard. They were the champions last year, won many games. I have an opportunity to play for the same team and it will help me. My experience with Derbyshire will help me gel with players, to be in the environment and the culture.

How does a county stint help in the development of a cricketer? Especially, a batsman like you?

It does help a lot as you play in different conditions and wickets. It helps because we do not get such wickets in India, the weather and atmosphere are different. It is an opportunity to play in those conditions, being part of a county team helps not only a batsman but a bowler too. For me, it was never an issue, I carry my own bag, I do my own work, I try to adjust in that culture. It’s not that difficult as I learnt good things there. While playing away from India, we learn a lot of new things, see different cultures and for me it has always been easier. I am used to it and try do my own work, there is not much pressure. What I usually enjoy is a game of cricket, working hard on it which will support your performance in the end.

Your last few series, especially the tour of Australia, has been quite unlike the Pujara everyone knows?

What I feel is that at times things don’t go your way. I have been getting starts in both the England and Australia series. It wasn’t like I was out of form, but it would have been better had I converted the good starts into a big one. Somehow it didn’t happen and I have realised that I have to convert the 30s-40s into big scores or atleast a 50 so that the team is safe. It’s not that I got out early, which is a positive sign. All these tours, I have managed to get starts and score 30-odd runs. In England, I got a couple of good innings. Batting at No. 3, you have to see through the new ball as the ball does a lot in overseas conditions. This benefits the middle-order and helps the team post 350-400 runs on board. At times, the effort cannot be measured by the numbers but you have still done your job for the team. There were some mistakes I made, and I didn’t go on to score a big one. I have identified these mistakes and this will help me do well in upcoming series.

Do you dwell in the past?

Obviously, when you want to learn from your past, you have to analyse. But I don’t go too deep. I analyse and try to improve to become a better cricketer. Analysis is something that helps to move forward and remember things that you need to work on.

What did you do after coming back from Australia?

Straight away I went to play for Saurashtra in Ranji Trophy. We had Ranji T20s played some cricket for my office Indian Oil in the PSPB tournament in Pune. Overall, I was playing cricket, practised and kept working on the game.

You are often referred to as the next Rahul Dravid, as someone who will rescue the team when in trouble. Does this add to the pressure?

What I try and do is to focus on things that I have to do. Being compared to Rahul is a compliment, very good, a proud feeling, but ultimately it is I who has to go on the field to play the way I know. I have to be Cheteshwar Pujara, natural on the field. I can’t have those things at the back of my mind like what will happen if I get out or if things don’t go my way. I know my way of playing cricket. Whenever there is time, I seek guidance from Rahul Dravid. But I do things on my own, not think about comparisons, just focus on the ball. There is always a team gameplan and I have to obviously keep it in the back of mind and be spontaneous on the field.

There is too much of cricket happening. How do you keep yourself motivated to perform consistently?

I feel if you love cricket, you don’t need additional motivation to play this game. Sometimes, enjoying the game might become difficult, then mental toughness comes in. Obviously, you get tired physically, and then it’s the mental aspect of the game that comes into play, that is where you have to try and motivate yourself. The honour of playing for the country is a proud feeling. It helps you, motivates you and the joy you get out of winning for the country and making people happy is a good enough reason. Representing your nation is a proud feeling and for me, no other motivation is required.

How do you react when people call you a Test specialist? Would you call yourself someone who can play all formats?

I definitely do. It is just a matter of time. Overall, if you see my domestic record, I have done decently initially in the Ranji four-day games. People questioned me on whether I would be able to score the same way at the international level. But with my hard work, I did. Just the way I scored in the Tests, I can do so in other formats too. It’s a matter of time as things will turn around. I have a good technique and it’s about shifting the gears, focussing on things required to do in the ODI and T20 format will help me get better in these formats.

Rahul Dravid shed the image of being a Test player and established himself in the shorter formats too. Do you feel you can emulate him?

It’s a different situation. He is a great cricketer, who has more than 10,000 runs in both formats. Both our careers have been under different circumstances.