After Cheteshwar Pujara retired from cricket, Ravichandran Ashwin gave him a warm tribute, calling his batting a symphony.
Pujara announced his retirement on Sunday after playing for over 10 years. The 37-year-old shared the news on ‘X’.
He first played for India against Australia in Bengaluru on October 9, 2010. In 103 Tests, he scored 7,195 runs with an average of 43.60. He hit 19 centuries and 35 half-centuries, with a highest score of 206*. He also played 5 ODIs, scoring 51 runs.
Ashwin said on his YouTube channel that Pujara’s role at number three, blocking the new ball and tiring out bowlers, was very helpful.
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Whether you agree or not, Pujara’s contribution at No. 3 helped Virat Kohli score many runs, he said.
Ashwin mentioned Pujara’s part in India’s win in the third Test against South Africa in Johannesburg in 2018. On a difficult pitch, Pujara’s 179-ball 50 and Virat’s 106-ball 54 helped India reach 187. Pujara took 53 balls to score his first run. Jasprit Bumrah’s five wickets allowed South Africa to get only a seven-run lead.
Pujara was out for one in the second innings, during which India scored 247 runs. Then, Mohammed Shami took five wickets as India bowled out South Africa for 177, defending a target of 241 runs.
Helped Kohli to score runs
Pujara’s contribution at No. 3 helped Virat Kohli score many runs. For example, in the final Test against South Africa at the Wanderers, the pitch was very dangerous. Pujara played 53 balls before scoring. It was a thankless job on a spiteful Wanderers pitch, where the ball was moving all over, Ashwin said.
Pujara a test legend
Pujara’s batting is a symphony. You see Instagram reels of Virat’s cover drive, Rohit Sharma’s pull shot, or MS Dhoni’s Helicopter Shot, but Pujara’s defence deserves to be shown with music too. He is a Test legend, a huge legend of Indian cricket, and his contribution is as big as anyone else’s. I believe his contribution is as big as Virat’s, Rohit’s or anyone else’s, Ashwin added.
Performance against Australia
Pujara is most remembered for India’s Border-Gavaskar Trophy wins in Australia in 2018 and 2020. He troubled Australia with his defence and technique.
He scored most runs, 521 in four matches, with an average of 74.42, including three centuries and a fifty. His highest score was 193.
In the 2020-21 series, he scored 271 runs in four matches, with an average of 33.87, including three fifties and a highest score of 77. In the final Test at The Gabba, he took many blows from Australian fast bowlers, making the win even more special.
Besides international cricket, Pujara was a top domestic player with over 21,301 runs in 278 first-class games. He hit 66 centuries and 81 half-centuries in his first-class career.
