Is Cheteshwar Pujara willing to play IPL 2021?

Cheteshwar Pujara is currently ranked sixth among batsmen in the ICC Test Rankings, as he has established himself as a specialist in the format for Team India. Pujara has played for three franchise in the IPL, with his last being with Kings XI Punjab in 2014.

Indian batsman, Cheteshwar Pujara has cemented his place in the Test team of Team India. He played a pivotal role in the side's success Down Under, as it retained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

While he is looking to continue with the same momentum and performance in the upcoming four-Test series for the Anthony de Mello Trophy against England at home, he is also looking beyond. Following the conclusion of the England series, the Indian Premier League would be held in April-May.

Pujara did play in the IPL previously, having been associated with three franchise, while his last outing in the glamourous tournament was in 2014 when he played for Kings XI Punjab. However, he has since faded out, having managed to score 390 runs in 22 innings at a below-par average of 20.5.

With the pre-season mini-auction slated to be held on February 18, Pujara still hopes that he might get some buyers, as he is always willing to put up a show in the tournament. "Definitely want to be part of the IPL. Given an opportunity, I am confident I'll be able to do well," he told NDTV.

Speaking on the upcoming England series, he said, "Looking forward to the England series. Most important aspect is to qualify for the World Test Championship final. The guys are aiming for that. They play good cricket in India. They have done well in Sri Lanka as well. We can't take them lightly."

He also lauded Australia for coming up with a competitive performance in the BD Trophy. "Great country to play cricket. Australia are a very competitive team. Our guys showed a lot of character and grit. It was very difficult to accept our low score in Adelaide. We took the rest of the series as a three-match series," he concluded.