Cricketers of the Indian national team have always been in high demand in the IPL, but Cheteshwar Pujara was left unsold in the last auction. There is a feeling that Pujara is primarily a Test player, and franchises may not see him as a player, who can score quick runs. But, if one has followed Pujara's game closely of late, there has been some change in his game, and he tries to score quickly.
These released Indian players could land good deals on February 20
The right-hander batsman, who is one of the first names to go into the Test squad, will hope that the franchises will look at him in a different manner this time around and he gets to play in IPL 2017. Pujara showed that he can score quick runs when needed as he hit six fours and one six in his 58-ball 54 during the second innings of the ongoing Test match against Bangladesh in Hyderabad.
The IPL 2017 auction is set to take place on February 20 in Bengaluru, and a number of domestic and international players will go under the hammer. Pujara hopes that the perception about him being a Test player changes as he has been working towards his ODI and T20 game.
"I am hopeful that the perception (Test player) will change. I have recently got a T20 hundred in a DY Patil tournament and probably I am batting more freely now. I have added few shots in my game, which is helping me," Press Trust of India quoted Pujara as saying.
"Even in Test format, the way I am striking the ball, the way I am batting, few series, I have changed my game which is helping me in T20 and ODI game. In near future, I think things will change," he added.
Pujara has represented Kolkata Knight Riders, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kings XI Punjab in the past, but the Indian batsman has not been part of the last two editions. He has played 30 IPL matches, scoring 390 runs.
However, there is greater chance that Pujara may be picked up in the IPL 2017 auction as he has been one of the consistent players for India in Tests, and he has shown that he has it in him to score runs quickly, which is the most important criteria for batsman in the T20 game.
