I enjoy my cricketing battles with Australia, says Cheteshwar Pujara ahead of 2023 Border-Gavaskar series

India’s mainstay in Tests, Cheteshwar Pujara loves batting, especially against the Australians. Having found success against the Aussies on his previous two tours, the veteran of 98 Tests is all set to take on the new challenge ahead of the Border-Gavaskar series that starts on February 9th in Nagpur. In an exclusive chat with the Times of India (TOI), the right-handed Pujara opened about facing the Australian bowlers, how he is preparing for the upcoming series and much more.

The Aussies are known to be throwing verbal volleys in addition to playing very competitively when it comes to facing India. While the previous three meetings have resulted in India taking the upper hand, the Australians are expected to come all guns blazing this time.

Carrying enough experience on his back, Pujara is ready to take on the Aussie challenge at home after nearly six years. Calling them a competitive and a fighting unit, Pujara said he enjoys the cricketing battles with the Aussies.

“They’re a competitive side. They throw a challenge at you, and I’m someone who likes to have that (kind of a) battle. It’s not just the verbal battle that I’m talking about, but the cricketing battle. There’s been a lot of talk about the Aussies doing a lot of chat on the field, but the important part that I look up for as a cricketer is a cricketing challenge. They are always a fighting team,” Pujara told TOI.

Meanwhile, during first of the two previous series Down Under in 2018/19, Pujara played some mammoth knocks that saw India winning the Test series in Australia for the first time. When asked about the tour in particular, where he scored 521 runs in four Tests at an average of above 70 – that included three hundreds too, Pujara said off all the series he’s played in, that one was on the top.

“I’ve enjoyed a few good series, but that was the best series of my cricketing career. The way I was batting, concentrating…there was a lot of physical and mental stress during that series. Every game was a challenge,” the right-handed batter added.

Now, as the 2023 Border-Gavaskar is just around the corner, Pujara revealed how he is preparing for the fresh challenge.

“I’ve played a couple of Ranji Trophy games as a part of the preparation for the series against Australia. Apart from that, I’ve been practicing back home at Rajkot. I can’t disclose particular things, but there are things which I’m working on a few points which will help me during this series,” Pujara said.

The four-match Border-Gavaskar series begins on February 9th in Nagpur while Delhi, Dharamsala and Ahmedabad will host the remaining matches.