Pujara wants 'special' India Test series win in England

Batsman Cheteshwar Pujara wants to be part of a rare India Test series win in England this August.

Published : Jul 26, 2018 15:41 IST

Becoming just the fourth India team to win a Test series in England would be special for all the players, Cheteshwar Pujara has said.

India have historically struggled on English soil, with a 1-0 victory after three matches in 2007 just the third time they have won a Test series as the travelling party.

England came out on top in India's last two visits in 2011 and 2014, the tourists winning just one Test from a possible nine, and success this time would mean a great deal to Pujara and his team-mates.

When asked how special it would be to triumph in a Test series on English soil, Pujara told Omnisport: "It would mean a lot to us. To win a Test series in England is something I look forward to, all the Indian players look forward to.

"But, at the same time, it won't be easy for us. We'll have to really work hard for it, but it will be a special feeling for all of us if we win the Test series in England.

"Many guys [in the squad] have been here in 2014, so they will definitely learn from their mistakes. If we improve on those areas, then definitely we have a good chance of winning the series."

Since their last defeat in England, India have lost just two of their 13 Test series, winning nine in succession in that run to become the world's top-ranked side.

Pujara highlighted the strides India have made but acknowledged the challenge posed by going up against Joe Root's men.

He said: "I think the Indian cricket [team] has improved. We have played good cricket, even overseas we had a good series against South Africa. We didn't win that series, but we competed really well and that gave us a lot of confidence.

"Our fast bowling has improved. So, I think the Indian cricket [team] has improved and that is the reason why I feel we are up for this challenge.

"At the same time, playing in England will always be challenging for us because the conditions are not familiar for all the players. I would say it will be a good Test series, where we can't take things for granted.

"We have worked on a few things, especially in 2017 when we started winning in Asia. We won many Test matches, we won many Test series that is where this team came together. We started our process, we became number one and that is when we decided that if we want to remain number one, we have to really work hard.

"We have to start winning away from home and the guys have realised the things they need to do to be successful away from home. I think the preparation will be the most important thing for us when we come here in August."

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