Pujara Urges Young India Batters To Build Strong Base

Cricket can make a teenager famous before he has learnt how to handle a bad week.

That is the warning Cheteshwar Pujara has for India’s newest batting hopefuls. The former India Test batter has seen both sides of the game. He has faced long spells, hard pitches, and harsher selection calls.

Now, from the commentary box, he is watching a new generation grow up in public. His message is simple. Fame comes fast in cricket. Respect takes years to protect.

Pujara’s warning for young batters

Pujara spoke about young names like Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Ayush Mhatre, who already carry big attention. Both represent the modern Indian cricket story. Talent appears early, clips travel fast, and judgement arrives even faster.

But Pujara believes a long career needs a strong base. In plain terms, that means technique, discipline, and the ability to keep improving.

He said even T20 batting has a method. It is not just swinging hard and hoping the ball clears the rope. Bowlers now study old videos, spot flaws, and plan dismissals.

That is where young batters can get caught. A player may dominate one season. Then teams find his weak area. The next season tests whether he has real depth.

Pujara made a sharp point about Suryavanshi. If he can keep producing strong seasons for the next 5 years, he can move from good to excellent.

That line matters. Indian cricket often celebrates the first spark. Pujara is asking young players to survive the second, third, and fourth examination.

IPL fame is only step one

The IPL has changed Indian cricket’s ladder. Earlier, players built reputations in domestic cricket before the country noticed them. Now, a 20-ball knock can turn a youngster into a household name.

That is not a bad thing. The IPL gives young players pressure, money, crowds, and elite dressing rooms. It also gives them exposure against world-class bowlers.

Pujara accepts that value. He said the IPL keeps producing fresh talent for India. Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Mohammed Shami all became bigger names through this route.

But he does not want young cricketers to stop at franchise success. His advice is clear. Dream of playing for India. More than that, dream of winning trophies for India.

That is an old-school thought, but it still fits. A youngster may earn contracts and followers through the IPL. Yet the real test remains international cricket.

World Cups still define careers in this country. A great IPL season brings applause. A match-winning World Cup spell or innings enters memory.

For fans, this is also a reminder. Not every teenage star needs instant comparison with past greats. Some players need time to fail, learn, and return better.

Selection cannot be about age

Pujara also addressed a live question in Indian cricket. Should the T20 side move fully towards youth, or keep space for seniors?

His answer was balanced. Pick players on performance. If young players are doing well and seniors are struggling, selectors must look at options.

But he also warned against removing experienced players only because of age. If a senior player still performs well, age alone should not push him out.

That sounds obvious, but Indian cricket rarely handles transition quietly. Every selection cycle becomes a debate between future and loyalty.

Pujara’s view gives selectors a practical formula. Do not worship youth. Do not protect reputation blindly. Pick the best mix.

That mix matters in T20 cricket. Young players bring speed, fearlessness, and modern shot-making. Seniors bring calm, reading of match situations, and experience under pressure.

A dressing room needs both. Too much youth can become chaos. Too much experience can become comfort.

The bigger question is consistency. India has enough T20 talent to field 2 strong sides. The challenge is finding players who can perform in knockouts.

That is where Pujara’s larger message returns. Quick fame does not help when the ball is swinging, the crowd is loud, and one mistake ends a campaign.

Test cricket still has room

Pujara pushed back against the idea that the IPL has damaged Test cricket. He said that claim is too simple.

He has a point. T20 cricket has changed batting habits. It has also changed fitness, fielding standards, and bowling skills. Fast bowlers now learn slower balls, yorkers, and pressure control early.

Many of India’s modern Test players came through the IPL spotlight. Bumrah is the clearest example. He grew into one of the finest all-format bowlers in the game.

Siraj also gained confidence through franchise cricket before becoming a major red-ball option. Shami used white-ball platforms to sharpen his public profile.

So the problem is not the IPL itself. The problem begins if players stop building a complete game.

A batter who only knows boundary options may struggle in Tests. A bowler who only thinks in 4-over spells may find long spells harder.

That is why Pujara keeps returning to foundation. Technique is not old-fashioned. It is insurance. It helps a player adapt when conditions change.

Indian cricket needs this lesson badly. The calendar is packed. Formats collide. Players move from red ball to white ball within days.

Those who last will be the ones who can switch gears without losing their core game.

Mumbai Indians and pressure

Pujara also spoke about Mumbai Indians, who have had an uneven run. He accepted that their performance dipped, but did not call it a crisis.

He pointed to their strong win over Lucknow as a sign of recovery. His reading was simple. Mumbai need their players to sit together, plan clearly, and regain rhythm.

That is a familiar Mumbai story. The franchise has often started slowly, then found momentum. But in a 10-team league, the margin for delay has reduced.

Pujara said the competition has become sharper because all 10 teams have strong Indian players. That raises the quality of close matches.

For young Indian cricketers, those close finishes are valuable. They learn under heat. They understand pressure without waiting for international cricket.

This is the IPL’s biggest gift to India. It hardens players early. It puts them in front of packed stadiums and unforgiving scoreboards.

But pressure also exposes gaps. A batter’s weakness, a captain’s panic, or a bowler’s poor plan can become visible in one over.

That is why Pujara’s advice lands well. Talent may open the door. Preparation decides who stays inside.

The next few years will test India’s young cricket crop in a very public way. Some will shine early and fade. Some will take slower routes and last longer. For ordinary fans, the trick is to enjoy the promise without rushing the verdict. Cricket gives instant fame, but the game still rewards patience.