Team India are due to take on Australia in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final at the Oval in London from June 7-11.
While most of India’s star cricketers are currently featuring in the Indian Premier League, seasoned batter Cheteshwar Pujara is preparing himself for the WTC final challenge by plying his trade in the English County Championship for Sussex.
Pujara has been in scintillating form for Sussex this season. Having slammed two centuries from three matches, the prolific right-hander is leading the highest run-scorer tally in the County Championship Division Two.
Meanwhile, Australia’s star batter Steve Smith is all set to join Sussex for three matches ahead of next month’s WTC final and Pujara plans to pick the brains of the former in his role as captain.
"He (Smith) is a great influence to have in the team and the guys will be looking forward to having him in the dressing room and will try and have a chat to him and learn from him, just to see how he prepares as he has a lot of experience," Pujara told Sussex Cricket.
"We are all looking forward to having him here and sharing his experience as he has a lot of knowledge about the game and it will be nice to have his input," he added.
Pujara will share the dressing room with Smith for the first time when Sussex travel to Worcestershire for the four-day clash that commences on Thursday (May 4).
"We have spoken, but most of the time we have played against each other. It is never for the same team, so it will be exciting and I will try and get his thoughts, try and know him a little better. We will be playing WTC final (against each other), so it will be mixed feelings. On the field, we always have good battles, but off the field we are good friends," he said.
Cheteshwar Pujara, who is holding the No. 3 spot for India in the longest format for a while, feels he is currently in good touch and his most recent century – 151 against Gloucestershire – was his best of the County season so far.
"When I went into bat it felt slightly difficult and during my innings, I had to work hard, had to defend well and play many dot balls as well. Considering the form I was in, I got 100 in the first game, so I felt that I was batting really well," he remarked.
