Rahul Dravid backs 'quality player' Cheteshwar Pujara to bounce back

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Chennai, July 20: India A coach Rahul Dravid has reposed faith on out-of-form Test batsman Cheteshwar Pujara, saying the Saurashtra cricketer is just a big innings away from regaining his confidence.

Pujara, who had stepped into the shoes of Dravid after he vacated India's No.3 Test position, has been going through a rough batting patch for sometime that saw him lose his position in the team.

The 27-year-old from Rajkot is currently the skipper of the India A team, which is set to take on Australia A in two unofficial Test matches, slated between July 22 and 25 and from July 29 to August 1 here.

Dravid said: "A player like Pujara will find the way, he has got the desire, the hunger, he is looking to get better, he has got the technique, and he is keen to improve.

"It is just matter of time that he comes back and get a chance to play in the eleven and one or two scores will change things for him," he said.

A prolific run scorer in domestic cricket, Pujara had failed to score a century in eight Tests during India's tour of England and Australia last year. He then tried to regain his form by playing for county side Yorkshire in England.

"Good to have county experience. I myself had a small stint with Kent. Pujara might not have played the entire season but the experience he gathered playing in different conditions, different dressing rooms, and different set of players will help," Dravid was quoted as saying by bcci.tv on Sunday.

"Pujara is fine, he is a class, quality player. He had a good start to his international career. There were a few series which didn't go the way he wanted. And it is natural, to all cricketers at some stage it happens.

"I don't think there is too much wrong in him technically. We had a few conversations with him even before coming here. We will try to look at his mind set where he is at," he added.

PTI