Best thing about Rahul Bhai is he understands a player’s psychology, reveals Cheteshwar Pujara

Ever since Cheteshwar Pujara made it to the Indian side in 2010, there has been an insane comparison between him and Rahul Dravid for the duo’s typified batting and the ability to keep a poise even when the structure was being torn down. Pujara did well to fill in the shoe to a large extent, setting the stage for the more charismatic Virat Kohli in difficult batting conditions, and it is no surprise that the Saurashtra man still idolises the former India No.3. 

“I think I became a serious fan of him when I was around 13 years old. The thing that stood out for me was that he put a price on his wicket. He was a fighter - as long as Rahul bhai was at the crease, it was very difficult for the opposition to take wickets. As a spectator you felt comfortable that India would not collapse; as long as he was at the crease, we would put up a reasonable total. To bowl India out, you had to get him out as the opposition. He provided that solidity,” Pujara told ESPN Cricinfo.

“The best part about Rahul bhai has been that he understands a player's psychology. I was lucky that I had him around when I started playing cricket. He had already gone through so many things in his journey, so he was able to tell me what I could expect, in a way. He helped me understand when I was young that it is not all about technique. As a young cricketer you might want to focus on technique a lot, but eventually I realised - yes, you need technique, but there are other aspects as well.”

While many cricketers of the past used to be cricket nuts - mainly because of the lack of avenue during the tour - modern-day players have embraced the culture of switching off from the sports thanks to the amount of time they spent on tour now a days. Pujara, however, credited Rahul Dravid for the same.

“There is one other thing I will be thankful to him for. He helped me understand the importance of switching off from cricket. I had the same thought, more or less, but when I spoke to him, it gave me a lot of clarity about it and I was sure of what I needed to do. I also saw in county cricket how they keep personal and professional lives separate. I value that advice a lot. Many people consider me to be focused. Yes, I am focused, But I also know when to switch off. There is life beyond cricket.”