Pakistani wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan has revealed that he has learned a lot from Indian batter Cheteshwar Pujara during their stint together in County cricket.
Both Rizwan and Pujara are currently playing together for Sussex in Division Two of the County Championship in England. Pujara has been in a brilliant form, scoring 717 runs in four matches including four centuries. Him and Rizwan also had a partnership of 154 runs against Durham in April.
Rizwan said he's been left impressed with Pujara’s powers of concentration and ability to to construct a long innings. Talking with cricwick.net, Rizwan praised Pujara and said, “In my life, the player with the highest levels of concentration and focus I have seen is Younis bhai. So, No.1 is Younis bhai. After that, it was Fawad Alam but now Pujara is No.2 and Fawad Alam No.3."
Rizwan also revealed that Pujara had been helping him with batting tricks on how to play well in English conditions. “Here, I got out chasing a couple of wide deliveries early on. Then I sought him out at the nets and he said, 'in Pakistan or in Asia, we are accustomed to forcing our drives. You cannot force your drives over here. Secondly, you have to play closer to your body,” said Rizwan.
When he was asked about how he felt playing alongside an Indian player, Rizwan stated that it wasn’t strange playing with Pujara and the pair share a good on field and off the field rapport. He said, “Believe me, I haven't felt strange at all about it. I even joke around with him and also tease him a lot. He is a very nice person and his concentration and focus are unreal. If you can learn something from someone else, you must take that opportunity.”
He also elaborated his point by saying that all international cricketers are part of a big family, irrespective of their nationality.
“The cricket fraternity is like a family for us. But if you are playing for Pakistan and your own brother is playing for Australia, then you will, of course, try to get him out because you are playing for your country. But that fight happens only on the ground. Otherwise, we are like a family. If I say 'our Virat Kohli', then I will not be wrong. Or 'our Pujara', 'our Smith' or 'our Root', because we all are one family.” Rizwan concluded.
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