Pujara must improve T20 skills: Sehwag

Stylish batsman Cheteshwar Pujara comes with the reputation of a good Test cricketer, according to former opener Virender Sehwag, who hoped that the Indian batting mainstay improves his skills in T20 cricket and gets picked by an IPL franchise in the next season.

Labelled as a ‘Test match specialist’, Pujara didn’t find takers in IPL for the third successive year when he went unsold at the player’s auction this season.

Replying to a question which sought to draw parallels between Hashim Amla and Pujara, Sehwag said, “Amla knows how to adapt to different formats, he knows how to play in what situation. As far as Pujara is concerned, he played for us but may be the hopes we had from him he did not come up to that expectations.

“But this happens when you play only one format, it becomes difficult to play in other format. Pujara’s reputation is that of a wonderful Test batsman and not T20. Hope in coming years, he will improve his skills for the shorter format and hope he gets picked by some team next year.”

Pujara last took part in the IPL in 2014 where he played for the Kings XI Punjab. He has also featured for Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore but never could manage to seal his place.