He retires as one of the finest Indian Test batters ever and leaves behind a legacy to cherish.
Veteran batter Cheteshwar Pujara has announced his retirement from all forms of Indian cricket. He retires as one of the finest Indian Test batters ever and leaves behind a legacy to cherish.
“Wearing the Indian jersey, singing the anthem, and trying my best each time I stepped on the field – it’s impossible to put into words what it truly meant. But as they say, all good things must come to an end, and with immense gratitude I have decided to retire from all forms of Indian cricket,” wrote Pujara on his social media accounts.
Pujara made his Test debut in 2010 and soon established himself as India’s No.3 on the back of consistent runs across conditions. Overall, he played 103 Tests, scoring 7195 runs at an average of 43.60 in 176 innings, including 35 fifties and 19 centuries.
Additionally, he featured in five ODIs, compiling 51 runs at an average of 10.20 and a strike rate of 39.23, with a best of 27. His best came in Tests, where he was part of India’s greatest Test side ever and played a crucial role with the bat in numerous memorable victories at home and away.
Cheteshwar Pujara will always remain a red-ball cricket great, boasting a magnificent First Class record. He has played 278 FC matches, accumulating 21301 runs at an average of 51.82 in 457 outings, comprising 81 fifties and 66 centuries.
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He made his India Test debut on the back of immense runs across First Class tournaments and proved his selection worth by continuing to score at the highest level. While he has played several marvellous knocks across his Test career, Pujara’s best will forever remain in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, where he was instrumental in India’s consecutive series wins Down Under in 2018/19 and 2020/21.
He was the leading run-scorer in the 2018/19 rubber and was the biggest reason behind India’s first-ever Test series win on Australian soil. Then, on the 2020/21 tour, Pujara wasn’t the leading run-scorer but among the best batters, as he took numerous blows to his body and ensured India always had one end strong, even though Rishabh Pant scored the most runs for India.
Most of his knocks in India and subcontinent conditions will remain an example of how to play spin and overcome the challenging tracks against the best of the attacks. His form tapered off in the final few matches of his Test career, but he still remains India’s second-best Test batter in the last decade and will forever remain a symbol of resistance and mental toughness.
