Pujara Urges Young Batters To Build Strong Base First

Fame now arrives before a young cricketer has even learnt how cruel form can be.

That is the quiet warning from Cheteshwar Pujara, a man who built his India career the slow way. Not through viral clips, but through long spells of patience, hard hands, bruised ribs, and repeat value.

Pujara says cricket gives players quick popularity today. The harder job, he adds, is keeping that name intact once bowlers, analysts, fans, and franchises start studying you properly.

Pujara’s warning for young stars

Pujara’s message is aimed at India’s new batting crop, including names like Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Ayush Mhatre. Both belong to a generation that has grown up with T20 as cricket’s loudest stage.

His point is simple. Talent may open the door. A solid base keeps you inside the room.

In modern cricket, every weakness travels fast. Teams study old videos, mark scoring areas, and build plans ball by ball. A batter who dazzles in one season can look exposed in the next.

That is why Pujara keeps returning to foundation. Even in T20, he says, there is a method. Young batters must keep improving their technique, game sense, and shot selection.

He used Vaibhav’s recent progress as an example. The youngster has done well over the last 2 years. But Pujara believes the real test comes over 5 seasons.

That is the gap between a promising player and a serious one. Indian cricket has seen many first-season stars. Only a few survive the second round of scrutiny.

IPL fame comes with homework

The IPL has changed the speed of recognition in Indian cricket. A teenager can go from unknown to household name in 3 good knocks.

That thrill is real. It also carries pressure that older players faced much later.

A young batter today does not just face bowlers. He faces clips, data, auction talk, fan pages, and endless judgement. Every innings becomes evidence.

Pujara does not dismiss the IPL. In fact, he sees it as a powerful school for Indian cricket. His concern is about what players do after the applause.

He says young players must stay updated. That means watching how opponents adapt, studying their own dismissals, and understanding match situations better.

For a batter, it may mean learning when to attack spin and when to absorb pressure. For a bowler, it may mean adding a slower ball without losing control.

The money and attention can arrive early. But selection committees still look for repeat performance. Coaches still value discipline. Dressing rooms still respect players who deliver under pressure.

That is where Pujara’s advice carries weight. He never sold himself as a glamour player. Yet India trusted him in some of its hardest Test matches.

India must remain the dream

Pujara also makes a point that matters in today’s franchise age. The IPL is important, but India must remain the bigger dream.

He wants young players to think beyond contracts and highlight reels. They should aim to win trophies for Team India, especially with global tournaments coming regularly.

This is not old-school romantic talk. It is also practical.

A player who builds his game only for franchise cricket may become useful in one format. A player who wants to win for India must become more complete.

India needs players who can handle pressure in different countries, formats, and conditions. A 20-ball cameo is valuable. But so is a 70 under pressure in a chase.

Pujara’s selection view is also measured. He does not believe senior players should stay only because of reputation. He also rejects removing them just because of age.

For him, performance must decide. If a youngster is scoring heavily and a senior keeps failing, selectors must look at options.

But if an experienced player is still performing, age alone should not push him out. A good T20 side needs both fresh energy and calm heads.

That balance is often the hardest call in Indian cricket. Fans want instant change. Selectors must think about tournaments, roles, pressure, and dressing-room rhythm.

Test cricket still has space

Pujara also pushes back against the idea that the IPL hurts Test cricket by itself.

His argument is fair. India’s modern fast-bowling strength also grew through the IPL. Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Mohammed Shami all gained visibility and experience through that system.

The IPL gives young players exposure to pressure. It places them beside top overseas names. It also forces them to learn quickly.

A young Indian bowler defending 12 runs in the last over learns something no net session can teach. A batter facing world-class pace before a packed stadium grows faster.

The issue is not T20 cricket. The issue is whether players can carry skills across formats.

Test cricket asks different questions. Can you leave the ball for an hour? Can you bowl the same line all morning? Can you bat when scoring feels impossible?

Pujara knows this better than most. His career was built on patience, not spectacle. So when he says T20 needs a base too, it is not a lecture. It is a reminder.

Even the shortest format punishes shallow games. Bowlers work you out. Captains block your favourite zones. Data analysts find your habits.

A strong foundation gives a player options when Plan A fails. Without that, early fame can become a trap.

Mumbai’s slump and the larger lesson

Pujara also spoke about Mumbai Indians, whose uneven run has drawn plenty of noise.

He accepts that Mumbai’s performance dipped. But he does not see it as a crisis. Their strong win over Lucknow showed signs of recovery.

His fix is basic dressing-room cricket. Sit together, plan clearly, and get the players moving in one direction.

That sounds simple, but T20 teams often lose shape quickly. One poor over changes a match. Three defeats change the mood. Suddenly, roles look unclear.

Mumbai have enough quality to recover if their players find form together. Pujara believes that once such players click, stopping them becomes difficult.

The larger lesson is the same one he offers young cricketers. Reputation helps only until the next match begins.

A champion team still has to solve problems. A star batter still has to face the new ball. A young sensation still has to show he can last.

That is the real beauty and brutality of cricket. It gives fame quickly now, almost overnight. But it still tests character slowly, season after season.

For young Indian players, Pujara’s advice is not about playing safe. It is about lasting longer than the first burst of applause. The IPL can make them famous. Their habits will decide whether India can trust them when the lights are brightest.