We Will Hit Back If Australians Sledge: Cheteshwar Pujara

India batsman Cheteshwar Pujara has insisted that Virat Kohli-led team will fight fire with fire if Australia start sledging in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar series next month.

The team from Down Under has made a reputation of relying on verbal volleys to get under the opponents skin but the Indian team is one of the handful of teams who has stood up to their verbal barrage and Pujara said the hosts are ready to reply.

“Yes it will be challenging for Australia in India. If they sledge..I remember we had a plan to sledge them when we last went to Australia. It will be tough for them when they come here,” Pujara said while speaking to India Today.

The last decade has seen Australia and India getting involved in some of the fiercest matches and going by Pujara’s words, it is quite clear that the hosts have buckled up for another fiery series.

When the right-handed batsman was asked about who would lead the charge of replying to Australia’s sledging, he said:

“We will decide that in the team meetings. Look it’s all about winning the game and sledging is a part of that.”

Meanwhile, the Saurashtra batsman has expressed his delight of getting good practice in the Irani Trophy ahead of the important series. He scored 116 and shared an unbeaten partnership of 316 runs with Wriddhiman Saha to lead Rest of India to the tile.

“Yes. It was a very good practice match for me, the Irani trophy. It was an ideal match to play well and contribute for team’s success. My partnership with (Wriddhiman) Saha was crucial. It was a very good platform to prepare for five Tests coming up against Bangladesh and Australia,” he said.

“When you play a first-class game and score a hundred it gives you a lot of confidence. Your concentration comes back, your rhythm comes back. You start moving your feet which is really important in the longer format of the game in particular,” he added.

The four-match series against Steven Smith’s men begins on February 23 in Pune. Prior to that, the Indian team will play a one-off Test against Bangladesh from February 9.