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ShareAhmedabad, Ahmedabad: Cheteshwar Pujara's consistent performance on the domestic circuit for the past two years failed to impress the selection committee of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).But the Saurashtra run-making machine has found support from unexpected quarters.
Union minister of state for external affairs Shashi Tharoor says Pujara would make a worthy successor to Rahul Dravid."Next great Indian batsman - heir to Dravid - will be Cheteshwar Pujara of Saurashtra," said Tharoor on Twitter. Despite a busy schedule, the minister has kept up with the youngster's performance.Tharoor's interest in cricket is evident from the book he has co-authored: Shadows Across the Playing Field: 60 years of India-Pakistan Cricket. The book was released in August.
After a seven-month break caused by injury, Pujara returned last week to play for Saurashtra in the Ranji Trophy match against Maharashtra. And he started off with a brilliant double century. In his Tweet posts, meanwhile, Tharoor seems worried by the threat that Test cricket faces from T20s and ODIs. 'Just hope India plays enough Tests for Pujara to prove his mettle," the member of parliament from Thirvananthapuram tweeted.
Overwhelmed by the Union minister's admiration for his game, Pujara told DNA over phone from Kolkata, "It's an honour to be compared with Dravid. I want to play with him and learn more from him. My immediate target is to bat well against Bengal." Tharoor is also of the opinion that Test matches should be made a day-night affair. "On working days, Test matches should be day-night affairs starting after school hours, with full day's play on weekends," the Minister tweeted.
