India Vs Sri Lanka: Cheteshwar Pujara is learning the art of sledging

Sri Lanka, Aug 8: Cheteshwar Pujara has always been known as a calm and soft-spoken cricketer both on and off the field, but the Rajkot-based cricketer is trying to break the mould by learning the art of sledging.

In an interview by fellow India teammate Ajinkya Rahane, uploaded by the BCCI.TV, the right-handed batsman has admitted to sledging opposition batsmen to assist bowlers get their wickets.

However, as per Pujara the limit of sledging shouldn't be crossed and that he never tries to get personal with the opposition.

"I did not used to sledge earlier but now I am learning to sledge as it is a crucial part of the game and you need to learn a little bit of that, but it should not be personal," said Pujara, who climbed at fourth spot in the latest ICC Test rankings.

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Pujara and Rahane were interviewing each other following their match-winning 200-plus partnership which paved way for India post a mammoth 622 runs in the first innings against Sri Lanka in the second Test at Sinhalese Cricket Ground.

India eventually won the game by an innings and 53 runs and took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series. Both Pujara and Rahane struck brilliant centuries and steered the visitors off the troubled waters after having lost three wickets for 133 in the first innings.

Pujara scored 133 while Rahane made 132 before departing.

Rahane asked Pujara the key to his consistently long innings in Test cricket, to which the latter said,"I got my first triple hundred in U-14 and everything started from there, I played for U-19 and then Ranji Trophy where I played for Saurashtra, so I always felt if you need to win a four-day game, you need to score big. I feel that hundred is not enough in a longer format and if you can score 150 or 200 then why not go for it."

When Pujara asked Rahane on his calm and composed state on the field, India's vice captain replied, "I used to do yoga and meditation which has helped me a lot in staying calm and composed on the field and making important decisions."

Rahane further revealed that he has started talking a lot post marriage and he loves to talk with his wife Radhika.

Pujara also asked his partner's approach when he came out to bat to which the Mumbaikar replied,"I planned to take some time at the crease and I was also visualising the game in the dressing room and made up my mind to unsettle the spinners because I knew the more we play on the front foot, the more we will get runs at the backfoot, although there is a risk factor in taking charge at the bowlers but sometimes it is necessary."

The 28-year-old Rahane, who completed 50 catches in Test cricket, also threw some insight on how he's so good at slip cordon.

"I used to drop a lot of catches and as a result I used to get shifted from one position to another which hurt me a lot, so the last time India toured Sri Lanka in 2015, I decided to take 100 catches in every practice session which helped my slip fielding but I still want to keep improving at slip as it is a very crucial position in terms of taking catches," he added further.

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