Before their match for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Pujara said about the Australian bowlers, “Need to find out strategies to counter them.”

Beginning on February 8, India will host Australia in a highly anticipated Test series. The thrilling 2016–17 series, which India had won 2-1, was the last time these two teams had played in India. Since then, India has played Australia twice in Test series away from home and astonishingly defeated them both times.

One of the most crucial components of India’s recent victories against Australia, both at home and away, has been Cheteshwar Pujara. According to Pujara, the hosts are aware that Australia is a dangerous squad because of their outstanding 2022 season, in which they dominated England and the West Indies at home and defeated Pakistan 1-0 away from home. Additionally, they returned undefeated from a trip to Sri Lanka, where the Test series ended in a 1-1 tie.

“They know. They are fully aware of their advantages. Australia is always the scene of the biggest conflict with them. Although they are excellent and have performed as well in India, my most significant conflicts with them have always taken place in Australia. As a batter, you must devise strategies to combat them, thus you must put a lot of work into it “To the Times of India, Pujara said.

With spinners Nathan Lyon and Steve O’Keefe constructing a web around the Indian hitters, Australia had upset India in the first Test of the 2016–17 series. India’s return was greatly aided by Pujara’s persistent knocks. In the second Test, on a challenging Bengaluru surface, he earned 92 points from 221 balls. He had before referred to it as his finest professional inning. That game was won by India by 75 runs. Then, in the third Test, Pujara hit an incredible 525-ball 202 to help India surpass Australia’s enormous first-inning total of 451. India won the last Test to win the series 2-1 after that game was drawn.

After India’s successful tour of Australia in 2018–19, Pujara was named player of the series. They were the first Asian side to win a Test series in Australia, accomplished the same feat again in 2020–21, and even defeated Australia in a Test match at the Gabba for the first time in more than three decades. Pujara held up one end by receiving a lot of hits from the Australian pacers, even though he was not as productive as he had been in past series.