Pujara urges young IPL stars to build lasting careers

A 14-year-old batter can become a household name in one IPL week now. One clean swing travels faster than any domestic scorecard ever did.

That is thrilling, but also dangerous. Cheteshwar Pujara, who built his India career brick by brick, has a simple warning for cricket’s new boys: fame arrives quickly, respect takes longer.

Pujara knows both sides of the game. His India stat line reads 103 Tests, 7,195 runs, 19 hundreds. Now, as a commentator on JioHotstar, he watches the next generation from a different seat.

Young stars need deeper roots

Pujara’s message to players like Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Ayush Mhatre is not old-school scolding. It is practical cricket sense.

He says young players need a strong base if they want long careers. That means technique, awareness, fitness, and the ability to change before bowlers catch up.

This matters because cricket has become a video game with analysts. Teams study old clips, spot weak areas, and build plans to dismiss a batter. A six today becomes homework for the opposition tomorrow.

Pujara said T20 cricket also has a method. It is not just hit-and-hope batting. The best players know when to attack, when to wait, and which bowler to target.

That is the real test for young IPL performers. One good season can bring followers, endorsements, and selection talk. Five good seasons can build a serious career.

IPL fame can fade quickly

The IPL has changed Indian cricket’s talent map. Earlier, a young player had to pile up domestic runs for years before fans noticed him. Now, one fearless knock can put him on every phone screen.

That exposure helps players. It also puts pressure on teenagers before they understand failure.

Pujara’s warning lands here. He said popularity comes very fast in cricket, but players must protect that reputation through consistency.

For a young batter, this is not just about scoring 60 off 25 balls. It is about returning next season after bowlers have studied him. It is about surviving a lean month when social media turns cold.

Indian cricket has seen this before. The IPL throws up exciting names every year. Some grow into internationals. Some remain highlights-package players. The difference often lies in discipline after the first applause.

Pujara wants the new lot to dream bigger than franchise success. He said IPL performances matter, but the larger aim should remain India’s trophies.

That is a sharp point. A young player can earn well in the league and still fall short of international greatness. The Indian shirt demands different skills, different pressure, and different patience.

Selection cannot be only age

Pujara also offered a balanced view on India’s T20 selection debate. He did not ask selectors to blindly back youth. He did not ask them to protect seniors forever either.

His point was simple. Pick players on performance.

If younger players are doing well and seniors are struggling, selectors must consider new options. But if experienced players keep performing, age alone should not push them out.

That sounds obvious, but Indian cricket rarely treats age calmly. A few failures make a senior look finished. A few boundaries make a youngster look ready for everything.

Pujara’s view asks for balance. A good T20 side needs young energy, but also players who understand high-pressure moments. Knockout games do not always reward raw talent.

This is where selectors face a tricky job. They must look beyond strike rates and viral clips. They must ask who can handle a World Cup chase, a tough pitch, and a silent dressing room after 3 quick wickets.

Pujara’s own career was built on patience, not noise. That gives weight to his argument. He knows form can dip. He also knows class does not disappear because a player turns older.

Test cricket still has space

Pujara pushed back against the idea that IPL success damages Test cricket. He said one cannot make that claim so easily.

His argument has strong evidence. Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Mohammed Shami all grew through the IPL ecosystem before becoming major Test players.

That is the part many critics miss. The IPL does not only produce six-hitters. It also tests bowlers under pressure, in front of packed grounds, against world-class batters.

For a young Indian player from a smaller city, the league can become a finishing school. He learns travel, pressure, team meetings, match-ups, media glare, and failure in public.

The risk lies elsewhere. If a player starts thinking only in T20 terms, his game can shrink. Long-format cricket asks for longer attention, tighter defence, and comfort with boring phases.

Pujara’s life is almost a case study in that. He made a career from leaving well, absorbing pressure, and tiring out bowlers. That craft does not trend easily, but India needed it for years.

His message is not anti-T20. It is pro-completeness. If India wants to keep winning across formats, players must grow beyond one tournament and one skill set.

Mumbai need collective answers

Pujara also spoke about Mumbai Indians, whose uneven season has drawn familiar scrutiny. He accepted that their performance had dipped, but did not call it a crisis.

He pointed to their strong win against Lucknow as a sign that the side can recover. His larger suggestion was that the team must sit together and work through plans.

That is often how IPL turnarounds begin. Not with one speech, but with clarity. Who bats where? Which bowler takes the hard overs? Which match-up matters most?

Mumbai’s history makes every poor run look bigger. Fans expect comebacks because the franchise has done it before. That expectation can inspire players, but it can also tighten shoulders.

Pujara said form can go missing for a while. But when players regain rhythm, a strong squad can become hard to stop again.

That line carries the calm of someone who has spent years inside dressing rooms. Teams rarely collapse for one reason. They drift through small errors, unclear roles, and players searching for touch.

For ordinary fans, Pujara’s message is worth holding on to. Enjoy the 17-year-old who hits sixes, but watch what he does next year. Cheer the senior who still performs, but judge him honestly. The future of Indian cricket will not be decided by one IPL night. It will be shaped by players who can survive fame, failure, and the long grind after both.