Cheteshwar Pujara, one of India’s most dependable Test batters, has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. His career stood apart in a period when cricket was often measured by strike rates and six-hitting ability.
Pujara’s real strength was different as he was the wall India leaned on when the team needed someone to stay calm and hold the innings together.
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His game was about courage, patience and determination. Pujara made a habit of absorbing pressure. His innings were not always flashy but they were priceless in moments when India needed character over anything.
Let us look back at three of his most iconic Test performances.
Three memorable innings of Cheteshwar Pujara
3. 206*(389) vs England, Ahmedabad 2012
Just months after Rahul Dravid retired, India needed a solid player at number three. The question was whether young Pujara could handle the responsibility.
The answer came in emphatic fashion during the first Test against England in Ahmedabad.
At just 24, he scored an unbeaten 206 off 389 balls. It was his first double century and he gave a clear statement that India’s transition after Dravid was in safe hands.
2. 123(246) vs Australia, Adelaide Oval 2018
The 2018 Border-Gavaskar Trophy opener in Adelaide is often remembered as the start of India’s historic series win down under.
India were in deep trouble at 86 for 5, but Pujara held firm against Australia’s fierce pace attack. He scored a fighting 123 runs and guided India to 250 in the first innings and he followed it up with another vital 71 in the second innings.
1. 77(205) vs Australia, Sydney 2021
If one innings captures Pujara’s style perfectly, it is his 77 at the Sydney Cricket Ground in 2021. The Sydney Test was about survival and Pujara gave his team exactly that.
Batting for more than five hours, he soaked up 205 deliveries and built a crucial 148-run stand with Rishabh Pant. His inning laid the platform for Ashwin and Vihari’s heroic rearguard later in the match.
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That knock was less about the runs and more about mental strength. Pujara turned the game into a test of patience and in doing so, helped India script one of their most memorable draws overseas.