Once a cornerstone of India’s Test batting order, Cheteshwar Pujara achieved a significant milestone when he passed the 20,000-run barrier in first-class cricket. When Pujara accomplished this during Saurashtra’s Ranji Trophy match against Vidarbha in Nagpur, he joined the ranks of well-known players in Indian cricket.
Pujara demonstrated his characteristic tenacity in the most recent Ranji Trophy encounter, assisting Saurashtra in winning by 238 runs. In the first and second innings, Pujara scored 43 and 66, respectively.
With this feat, Pujara has amassed 20,013 runs at an outstanding average of 51.98 in 260 first-class matches. 61 centuries and 78 fifties make up his impressive total, which tops out at 352.
On the all-time list of Indian first-class run scorers, the seasoned batsman ranks behind cricket greats Rahul Dravid (23,794 runs), Sachin Tendulkar (25,396 runs), and Sunil Gavaskar (25,896 runs).
Pujara has a similarly impressive Test career, scoring 7,195 runs at an average of 43.60 for India in 103 Tests. He did not play in the most recent Test series against England, but he has a stellar Test record with 19 hundreds, 35 fifties, and a maximum score of 206*.
Even though Pujara did not play in a Test match until June 2023, he continues to be a potent force in domestic cricket, whether it is in England’s county cricket league or India.
“The last few years have been ups and downs, and it challenges you as a player because, despite having played, let’s say, over 90 Test matches, when I was dropped, I still had to establish my worth and show that I belonged there. In August 2023, Pujara had told EspnCricinfo, “It’s a different kind of challenge.”
With 17 first-class double hundreds under his belt, the seasoned hitter is right up there with greats like Mark Ramprakash and Herbert Sutcliffe. He also has three first-class triple-centuries to his credit.
The Indian team is presently getting ready for the next home test series against England, which is slated to start on January 25.