'Stick to your methods': Cheteshwar Pujara responds to Ashwin calling him 'very stubborn'

Veteran India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin recently called Cheteshwar Pujara "very stubborn" in an article for ESPNcricinfo. Ashwin's comment came a day before Pujara is scheduled to play his 100th Test match for India. Responding to Ashwin's comment, Pujara said as long as one stick to the method and is confident about his or her ways, they can be successful. Pujara also revealed the mantra behind his success, saying that he pays a lot of attention to his fitness and does meditation to shut down the outside noise. 

"When I started playing cricket, I never thought I would play 100 tests. Playing 100 Tests means a lot to me and my family, my father has played an important role, and he will be here tomorrow. I am thankful to my family for their support, but there is a lot more to achieve," Pujara said. 

"Ashwin has recently spoken about me being very stubborn. As long as you stick to your methods, as long as you are confident about your ways, you can be successful. You also have to be disciplined. I have certain routines, I pay a lot of attention to my fitness. I do yoga, meditation and pranayam which has helped me to stay in the present and shut down the outside noise. It has helped me detach from the noise outside, be it in a newspaper, or on social media, even if it is positive," Pujara said.

"As a player you need to know your strengths and weaknesses. In the last few years, I learned to stick to my strengths, I have added a few more shots to my game," he added.

Pujara's 100th Test

Pujara is known for his solid and patient batting style and is often compared to the legendary Rahul Dravid. He made his debut for the Indian cricket team in 2010 and has since established himself as a key player in the Test format. He will play his 100th Test match against Australia in Delhi. The match is slated to take place from February 17 to 21.  

Pujara has scored over 7,000 runs in the longest format for India at an average of over 44, with 19 centuries to his name. He has also played for several domestic teams in India, including Saurashtra and Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League. Pujara is widely regarded as one of the best Test batsmen in the world and has been an integral part of India's success in the format in recent years.

Image: AP