After having a rather cold start to his Ranji Trophy season, Indian batsman Cheteshwar Pujara has got back to his purple patch with his centuries in both the innings of the Ranji game.

With the Indian team’s next assignments are the Test series against Sri Lanka which will be followed by the South Africa tour, Pujara’s current run of form predicts well for Team India. Looking ahead at the series, the elegant batsman said, “Obviously, next year’s South Africa series is something that is there at the back of my mind. The upcoming Sri Lanka series will be a good opportunity to prepare for the South Africa assignment. I am confident of doing well.”

He further added, “But I believe once we assemble to play the Test series against Sri Lanka, there will be some serious discussions on the South African tour. There will be strategies and plans in place. Like every series, I will be doing my own homework. There are a few areas that I will like to work in the nets before the series. Those are very specific things but it will be unfair to reveal them as that’s a part of the strategy.”

After a fantastic outing in the series against Sri Lanka in the island nation, Pujara will surely not be trying to take the upcoming series lightly. He said, “I agree that during the last series, Sri Lanka’s bowling attack may not be one of the best but Test runs never come easy. You have to fight for every run that you score in the longer format. Also, every series is a new series. Your intensity does not change according to the opposition you play. Sri Lanka is also an international side and you have to give them the same respect like any other team.”

Pujara concluded by talking about his poor run of form in first-class cricket, he said, “I always knew that a big innings is just around the corner. When you know that you are batting well, you can feel it. It was one good inning and it came against Jharkhand.”