New Delhi: Yes, Cheteshwar Pujara is warming up for the Sri Lanka. On Thursday, the majestic batsman hit a brilliant double hundred ensuring a huge first innings total of 553 for 9 for Saurashtra against Jharkhand in their Ranji Trophy Group B match in Rajkot.
In the process, the 29-year-old broke Vijay Merchant's Indian record of most double hundreds in First-class cricket — a record that stood for almost 70 years.
A humbles Pujara told that it was an honour to have achieved the feat in an interview to a website.
"Personally, it is a big achievement to surpass some great names. Even Sunil Gavaskar and Rahul Dravid had around 10 first-class double hundreds to their name. It is an honour and a great achievement," Pujara was quoted as saying by The Field.
"I just want to play my cricket and focus on the game. It is good to surpass some scores but at the same time my focus is to improve as a cricketer and keep scoring runs. Ultimately all these records come and go. As long as I keep scoring runs, this will keep going up. At times you score a 50, at times you score a 100, sometimes you bat well you end up scoring a double hundred, which is the part and parcel of this game," he added.
Besides, the middle-order batsman has 41 First-class hundreds and 43 fifties in 158 matches. He has accumulated 12538 runs at an average of 56.47, with the highest score of 352.
"For me, it is always about performing in each and every game I play, whether it is for a club or a first-class game. I always put a prize on my wicket. I make sure that I score enough runs. If I worked hard in the nets then usually you do get your rewards. I am always confident because of my preparation," Pujara said.
Known for playing cricket in its purest form, the Test specialist has scored 4107 runs for India in the traditional format of the game, with the help of 13 hundreds and 15 fifties.
He will play an important role when India take on Sri Lanka in a three-match Test series, starting November 16 in Kolkata.
He last played for India in the third and final Test of Lanka tour in Pallekele, in August. He scored two hundreds during the tour, helping India blanked the hosts 3-0.
