I have to learn how to sledge…I am still not very good at it.

A very rare commodity.

I love playing Test cricket. Since childhood I have been scoring a lot of runs in domestic cricket and even at the junior level. I love scoring big runs in the Test format.

Just 13 Tests and you are already telling us that you love the long innings.

Because I have got two double hundreds. And as a batsman I don’t like to get out,so you tend to spend more time at the crease. As I said earlier,it’s coming from my junior cricket because I have got a triple hundred on debut at the under-14 level. Even in the Ranji Trophy,I have got a triple hundred.

But the difference is,unlike many others who play the long innings,you are very productive at the crease.

Once I cross 50 and 100,I gain a lot of confidence. Then,I believe, my natural game takes over. I don’t need to make any extra effort to play my shots. That is the reason I have been successful at scoring at a higher strike rate.

By watching your stats,you can see a pattern emerge — that your subsequent 50s are faster than the earlier ones. So,the longer the innings,the more productive does your stay become,unlike many others who’ll get the first 50 quickly,or the first 20 slowly then get to 50 quickly and then slow down to get a 100.

When I am batting in the nets,initially I am always careful. And that’s the thing which comes into the match as well. So initially,I have to be careful. And once I cross 50,everything comes naturally. I don’t make any extra effort to look for runs. So,once you are familiar with the conditions,it’s easier to score at a higher strike rate.

You are not a hesitant beginner. You saw that ad which was running to promote the India-Australia series? Little girl saying,‘Cheteshwar Pujara hai toh achha player,par woh toh 30-35 balls settle hone mein lagata hai. Aur Pattison takes a wicket every 40 or 35 balls.’ Is it a deserved reputation or an undeserved one?

Ultimately the result that we produce matters more than that ad.

But did you watch that ad?

Not really.

Did people tell you about it? I mean did you have a reputation of being a hesitant starter? A nervous starter?

Not at the domestic level. But yeah,when you don’t have exposure at the international level and when you are a youngster,you tend to take little more time. You are nervous. You want to play your natural game but your body is not up to it.

And the mind…

And the mind,yeah obviously at the start. But once you settle down,once you face a couple of overs,then your body is used to it. Used to the climate,used to the conditions. So it becomes easier. So I think as I play more matches,I might not be that nervous. Because I have got enough experience now.

We didn’t see you nervous against Australia. We actually saw you walk in to bat as confident as Rahul Dravid. Because one down is a very privileged position in any batting line up,but particularly in India,and even more so now that you are walking into Dravid’s shoes.

It’s a big responsibility for me. I don’t think I can replace him but he is one of my idols. I have been watching him since childhood. So it is an honour to bat at No.3. As a batsman I like challenges and when you are batting up the order,there are more challenges than when you are batting down the order. Facing the new ball with my technique suits me more.

Why do you say so?

I have a technique where I love the ball to come onto the bat,and in Indian conditions it is easier to bat against the new ball.

Your Test debut here. In your first innings you got out very cheaply. Sachin,at the other end,got a hundred. Tell us about that.

On the same evening Sachin paaji came to me and told me that “I was batting on a hundred but even if I would have faced that ball,I might have got out because that ball kept a bit low.” So actually,in the evening I was literally down and very sad because I wanted to score some runs; it was my debut game. But he told me “your time will come. Don’t worry. You are batting well”. And the same thing happened. I ended up scoring 72 in the second innings.

So let me ask you a trick question. You’ve had the good fortune of starting with the greats and then the weight of responsibility as the greats fade out. Ganguly,Dravid,Laxman,Sachin,a matter of time. So if you were to borrow something,if you were to ask each one of them to give you something,maybe a stroke,what is it that you’ll ask for?

I think the straight drive from Sachin,the flick from VVS Laxman and Ganguly’s cut shot.

Rahul Dravid?

His cover drive,definitely. It’s technically perfect. I think he has a bigger stride when playing a cover drive. He has the perfect cover drive. He’s so accurate at judging the ball.

Now is the time of IPL. You don’t know who’s your teammate,who’s your rival. You have idols there as well?

Yes,I do. I like Ricky Ponting. When I was with KKR,I remember him giving me a few tips about batting and fielding. I think the interaction with the international players at the IPL is really important for the youngsters. Because otherwise,when you are playing at the international level,you can’t interact that much.

What did you learn from Ponting and his batting?

I like the way he plays the cut and the pull. I have seen him playing it in all conditions. Whether the ball is bouncing,or even if the wicket is low, he is still able to play the pull shot. And he’s a great leader. He’s a great fielder. And he still has the same energy.

I mean you are still very new in the business. But 13 great Tests,average of 65 plus. But I see in you sometimes a shade of Hashim Amla. Do you find that flattering?

It’s a big compliment because I like his batting and the way he’s been scoring since the last couple of years. I mean he always scores a big double hundred or 100 plus,or it’s a 150 or something. I mean when you see other batsmen struggling,and he is able to play all the strokes in the game. So it is a big compliment for me.

When he walks in,there is a sense of calm,as it is when you walk in these days.

I am trying to learn from him. I mean,these are the batsmen who you look up to. Him and Rahul Dravid. When he comes in to bat,you see that you can put your money on him and say that he’ll do it for the team.

But the difference is that you don’t see calm on Dravid’s face. In fact,sometimes when we talk about Dr Manmohan Singh always looking worried,even when the going is good,I say that Dr Manmohan is always like Dravid at 48 for 3… always looks worried.

But I think the results he has produced for the country is amazing.

I say that affectionately. But the other Dravid quality you have is that you are willing to open… four innings versus Australia.

As a batsman you should be ready to play at any number. I am very flexible. I am ready to accept it. I mean you don’t set yourself as just a No.3 batsman. If the team wants you to open the innings,or bat at No.4 or 5,you should be always open to it.

Two of those innings were last innings,while chasing.

That was amazing. That was under pressure because the wicket was such,anything could have happened.

There would have been a big difference in the series at 4-0 and 3-1.

I guess when you have to take revenge,it has to be 4-0. And we were playing as a team. Everybody was enjoying the way all the players were performing. It was a good unit. And I think it was a very good opportunity to have a 4-0 series win.

Did something go wrong in the series against England? Midway through the series? Did we lose our way?

In the first two Tests,we were up to the mark. From the third Test onwards,we lost momentum. Then again we came back in the fourth Test. But I think losing the third Test was the turning point for us. We never had a chance to win the series. Then we had to tie the series but unfortunately we couldn’t. It was a young side and we were improving as cricketers. The kind of experience we got,after that we learnt many things. Then came the performance against Australia.

But England had a very good spin attack.

I think they have the best spinners among those that I have played against at the international level.

Why? What’s the degree of difficulty in facing Graeme Swann?

He reads the batsman’s mind. He tries to stop you from playing a particular stroke. He knows where the rough area is. And he tries to bowl on those roughs. And at the other end they had Monty Panesar. He was just trying to bowl flat and make the batsman make a mistake. As a combination they were very successful.

Tell me something about your partnerships. VVS and that fiery evening at Durban. India was 54 for 4 I think. You lasted 10 runs but you lasted sometime. And in a way we stemmed the rot. So what was happening? We won that match…

When I went to the crease,VVS told me that the ball is doing a bit but if we hang on for a while things will settle down. So we needed to build a partnership. So my target was to just build a partnership. I was thinking,I have an experienced partner who can win the match for the country. So I just wanted to play a supporting role.

It was trial by fire.

It was my first series in South Africa and obviously it was difficult. But experience teaches you a lot,and after that series when I played (Dale) Steyn in IPL,things were easier because I knew what his plan is and what areas he bowls in and what is his strength.

But now you again go back and play South Africa in South Africa. What’s your preparation?

I am more confident now because I have had two successful Test series. So I don’t think it will be that difficult compared to the first series I had in South Africa.

Cheteshwar,you’ve had to deal with very bad injuries very early in life. Tell me a little about the experience.

I have gone through two major injuries. I have gone through two ACL surgeries.

Anterior cruciate ligament,which is attached behind the knee…

The first one was in South Africa when I was playing for KKR. I was fielding and the ground was a little wet. It was a practice game. The moment I got injured,I didn’t know what was happening. I was in such a bad pain… I have never faced such pain in my life. The physio was telling that you have this injury where you might have lost your ACL,I didn’t know what it was. And then after an MRI,I got to know that it was an ACL tear. And that I have to go through a surgery and to recover from it,it’ll take six months. I almost cried was I knew that I wouldn’t be able to play cricket for six months and I couldn’t imagine staying away from the game for such a long time. So,it was frustrating.

And then the second injury?

It was in IPL 4. I think that was the injury that hurt the most because I knew that it was an ACL injury and again it was going to take six months. And when you are in good form,you are doing well for the country,you are doing well for the IPL team… It takes a lot of time to come out of injury and play your natural game again.

The special bond with your father helped you survive these long periods away from the game. He gets as much credit as you do.

Definitely.

He played Ranji.

He played the Ranji trophy for Saurashtra.

He kept wickets I believe.

He was a wicket-keeper and opening batsman. Whatever I am is because of him. I started practicing with him at the age of 8. I still remember the days when I used to go with my dad and practice at the railway ground in Rajkot. I still practice with my dad.

So when you were fighting your way out of the injury,tell us some conversation you had with your father. Were there times when you were fed up and felt like giving up?

No. Never! I never thought of leaving this game because I love playing cricket. And he also went through a bypass surgery at the same time when I had my second knee surgery. So it was a tough time for us. But I think it was good that I was there with him at that time.

Your mother had passed way when you were very young…

I was 17 at that time. It was her dream to see me play for the country. And whatever I am at the moment as a human being,it is because of my mother. She had taught many things in my childhood and they are still helping me.

Your father tells us that he might have taught you your strokes but she is the one who gave you your mental strength.

Yeah,and mental peace. When I was young,I used to share a lot of time with my mother. When I was at the ground,I used to spend time with my father. But otherwise I used to get along with my mom. I used to tell her about everything. About the game,about school. I always enjoyed her company.

So go back to your recovery period. Tell us some exchanges between you and your father.

He’s a very positive person. He always used to tell me that you are the best talent in the country. If you just recover from injury,then you’ll start playing well again.

Any fights with him?

Not really. We get into conversations which are intense where he says something and I don’t agree.

Will you tell me one conversation like that?

My backlift was coming from point or in between point. And I thought it should come from the second or third slip or first slip. So he told me,“don’t worry about it. It’s your natural backlift which comes from point. You don’t need to correct it and ultimately when you are facing the ball it is straight.” He showed me a photograph of when I was 12 years old when I scored my first triple hundred and he was telling me,‘look at your photograph,where is your bat’. I didn’t agree with him. I was just trying new things but I wasn’t successful even at the domestic level. Then he told me to at least once try what you have been doing. I tried it and was successful.

MS Dhoni sort of in a way chided you by saying said that he enjoyed your performances at home,but yet said everyone has to perform well overseas. So what is the next frontier for you?

I think to be successful in the IPL,and do well in ODIs and T20s. My first goal is to do well in the ODI format. I don’t want to set a long- term goal. That’s what MS’ advice was. To be in the present.

Where do you see yourself fielding in the long run? Because all our hearts skip a beat when you keep getting hit on your knees while fielding at short-leg.

It is part of the game

Those are the most delicate,precious knees in Indian cricket right now.

I am not worried about it because I like challenges. Even in fielding you have to take challenges. You can’t be afraid of fielding at short- leg. I mean,it’s the worst thing if you think about it. So,I don’t want to set a particular fielding position but I want to improve my fielding. I want to be one of the best fielders in the team. I am working on it,I am working on my fitness.

Now,before I let you go away,I bet people have begun to sledge you already because you are now a thorn in everybody’s sight. So what are the more interesting things they have said to you? Forget the abuse.

Shane Watson telling me in the last Delhi Test that I was playing a sh** on-side flick,though he knew it was the best shot of my game. So it’s the kind of sledging you expect from the opposition team and I really don’t worry much about it. And somehow when they sledge me,I get inspired.

Do you sledge sometimes?

I have to learn. I am still not very good at it.

But have you tried a little bit?

A little bit.

But you field close-in… you have to…

But I will learn how to sledge if that is what the team also wants. In time to come I can at least contribute something.

Such a wonderful feeling to be chatting with you. I know that years from now when we see you at the top of the records,we’ll say we had a conversation so early in your career..

Thank you.

Transcribed by Neha Arora