The talismanic batter, Cheteshwar Pujara who played 103 Tests for India, decided to draw a curtain to his illustrious career on Sunday. Cheteshwar Pujara stood as the pillar of India’s Test success over the past decade, anchoring the crucial No. 3 position. Cheteshwar Pujara’s grit and consistency were central to several iconic triumphs, none bigger than India’s historic Test series victory on Australian soil during the 2018-19 tour, where he was also named Player of the Series.
Cheteshwar Pujara’s stellar record in whites and domestic circuit for India
The 37-year-old veteran Cheteshwar Pujara last played for India during the ICC World Test Championship final against Australia in 2023 in the UK. In 103 Tests for India, he has made 7,195 runs at an average of 43.60, with 19 centuries and 35 fifties. His steely defence, determination and hunger for runs has earned him a place among India’s most revered Test batters.
Cheteshwar Pujara featured for Saurashtra in the Ranji Trophy 2024-25, scoring 402 runs in seven matches and 10 innings at an average of 40.20, with a century and fifty and best score of 234. Since his last match for India, he has featured extensively in domestic cricket and in County cricket for Sussex alike. In England, Cheteshawar Pujara has scored 870 runs in 16 matches at an average of 29.00, with a century and five fifties and a best score of 132*.
Cheteshwar Pujara was the star of India’s Border-Gavaskar Trophy wins in 2018 and 2020-21, troubling Australia with his defence and technique. In the first, he top-scored with 521 runs in four matches at an average of 74.42, three centuries and a fifty. His best score is 193. In the 2020-21 series, he made 271 runs in four matches at an average of 33.87, with three fifties and the best score of 77. In the final Test at The Gabba, he endured a number of body blows from Australian pacers on his body, making the win even more memorable.
Unlike in Australia, where Cheteshwar Pujara found a lot of success, scoring 521 runs and 271 runs in India’s victorious campaigns in 2018 and 2019, the right-hander does not particularly have a record boast of. Cheteshwar Pujara averages 31 in England in 14 Tests. He has 806 runs with one century to his name. Cheteshwar Pujara has player 27 Test matches against England, and has played 49 innings. He has scored 1778 runs, accompanied by 5 centuries and 7 half-centuries.
Former England captain Nasser Hussain wants India skipper Shubman Gill to bat at three despite two hundreds in three innings while batting at four.
Nasser Hussain while heaping massive praise on Cheteshwar Pujara criticized Shubman Gill’s reluctance to bat at No 3
Cheteshwar Pujara announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on Sunday, August 24. He finished as one of India’s best red-ball batters of all time. During his illustrious career, Pujara cemented his spot at No. 3 in India’s Test setup. The Saurashtra batter amassed 6529 runs at No. 3 after batting in 155 innings at an average of 44.41.
Former England captain Nasser Hussain praised Pujara for making his presence felt as a No. 3 batter, especially after replacing a legend like Rahul Dravid. Hussain also mentioned how active batting stalwarts like Shubman Gill and Joe Root don’t want to bat at No. 3 in Test cricket.
“A real old-school No. 3. And he had to take over from one of the all-time great No. 3s in Rahul Dravid. It’s something that’s a little bit lacking in international cricket – No. 3s. Even in the England side, Joe Root doesn’t want to do it. Shubman Gill doesn’t want to do it for India since he has got the captaincy. He wants to bat at 4,” Hussain told on the Sky Sports YouTube channel.
“In our era, your No. 3 was your best player, whether it be Viv Richards, Ricky Ponting or Rahul Dravid. Not an easy position to do but Pujara did it as well as anyone,” he added.
The cricketer-turned-commentator also said that Pujara helped the middle-order batters immensely by playing out the new ball. Hussain also mentioned Pujara’s phenomenal batting performances in Australia, orchestrating Test series wins for India in 2018-19 and 2020-21.
“Another one of the old school batters is gone. A bat for your life and over my dead body sort of batter that played the ball late and produced some great innings, especially in Australia. He was loved by Indian fans for playing like that. And he protected the middle order, with the likes of Kohli in there, from the new ball. Working with him, he’s exactly like how he was when he batted. Very calm, quietly spoken and talks a lot of sense,” said Hussain.
Cheteshwar Pujara hung up his bat with 7,195 runs to his name, scored at an average of 43.60, from 103 Tests including 18 centuries and 35 fifties, which ranks eighth among India’s all-time leading run-getters. He also accumulated 21,301 runs in first-class cricket.
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