Regarded as one of the finest batsmen in Test cricket, Cheteshwar Pujara’s glorious career speaks volumes of his hard work and determination. Pujara has been a formidable opponent for bowlers because of his unshakable patience and never-give-up attitude. With his outstanding exploits in both domestic and international cricket, Pujara has established himself in the longest format of the game, following in the footsteps of great cricketers such as Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman. As Pujara turns 36 today, here’s a look at some of his great knocks for India.
123 Vs Australia in Adelaide 2018
During India’s tour of Australia, Cheteshwar Pujara began the series with a scintillating century of 123 that helped India post a respectable total of 250 runs. His contribution helped India win its first Test series in Australia under the captaincy of Virat Kohli.
202 Vs Australia in Ranchi 2017
In the third test match of the home series against Australia, Pujara scored 202 which showcased his extreme focus and determination. He played 525 balls which are the longest Test innings played by an Indian batter. Though the game ended in a draw, Pujara’s concentration to play such a long innings was a standout.
153 Vs South Africa in Johannesburg 2013
Regarded as one of his best overseas knocks, Cheteshwar Pujara roused to the occasion after scoring a stellar 153 against the likes of Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel. Batting alongside Virat Kohli, Pujara showed great character and resilience.
56 Vs Australia in 2021
This knock of Cheteshwar Pujara is at par with scoring a hundred because of the magnitude of the situation. India was in quest of creating history against Australia in Brisbane, as Pujara’s 56 runs played a central role in India’s memorable win against Australia. Pujara was batting with injuries but his never-give-up attitude stood out in India’s historic win. He batted for 314 minutes. India became the only team to register a test win against Aussies in Brisbane after 32 years.
He has scored over 7000 Test runs with 19 hundreds to his name.