Daijiworld Media Network- New Delhi

New Delhi, Aug 27: Veteran batter Cheteshwar Pujara, who recently announced his retirement from international cricket, has offered a hard-hitting reality check on India’s current selection process, cautioning young cricketers against focusing solely on Test cricket.

In an interview with India Today, Pujara admitted that while Test cricket will continue to survive, the pathway into the format has become increasingly dependent on white-ball performances.

“Honestly, I wouldn’t recommend any of the young players to just focus on the Test format because times are changing. Test cricket is not going anywhere, but to get picked in Tests, you need to perform in the IPL or for India in ODIs and T20Is. If you are not a good white-ball player, then the chances of getting into the Test team are very limited,” Pujara said.

The 37-year-old, who featured in over 100 Tests but only 5 ODIs for India, never made a mark in the IPL, managing just 30 appearances until 2014 before going unsold in subsequent auctions. Yet, he remains candid about the selection dynamics.

“There might be exceptions – an extraordinary Ranji Trophy player could still be picked – but such cases are rare. The easier route is through white-ball cricket. The future is definitely white-ball formats alongside Tests,” he remarked.

Pujara urged the younger generation to aim for all three formats, stressing that while white-ball cricket opens doors, excelling in red-ball cricket remains the ultimate marker of respect in the game.