Well, the day many of us knew was coming is finally here. Cheteshwar Pujara, one of the last true gladiators of Test cricket, has decided to hang up his boots from all forms of Indian cricket. The 37-year-old stalwart made the announcement on X, sharing a heartfelt message that perfectly captures his journey. It truly feels like the end of an era for those of us who grew up admiring the art of defensive, gritty, and unbreakable batting.
Key Highlights
- ✓ Cheteshwar Pujara announced his retirement from all forms of Indian cricket at age 37.
- ✓ He played 103 Tests for India, scoring an impressive 7,195 runs with 19 hundreds.
- ✓ Pujara was a key figure in India's historic back-to-back Test series wins in Australia.
- ✓ Known for his incredible patience, his highest Test score was a magnificent 206.
- ✓ His last appearance for India was the World Test Championship final in June 2023.
An Emotional Farewell from India's Dependable No. 3
You could feel the weight of his career in his words. "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," Pujara wrote. That line right there says it all, doesn't it? For over a decade, he was the man who walked out at number three, tasked with steadying the ship, tiring out bowlers, and building a foundation for the team.
When Rahul Dravid retired in 2012, there was a massive void to fill. Pujara stepped in and made that crucial position his own, becoming India’s most reliable batter in the longest format. His career stats are a testament to his dedication: 7,195 Test runs at a solid average of 43.60, including 19 centuries and 35 half-centuries. He was particularly dominant at home, where he piled on 3,839 runs at an incredible average of 52.58.
After making his debut against Australia back in 2010, he became the backbone of India's batting lineup. It wasn't just about the runs; it was about his remarkable patience and rock-solid technique that so often wore down the world's best bowling attacks in the most challenging overseas conditions. His legacy is one of resilience and an unwavering commitment to the purest form of the game.
The Innings That Forged a Legend
When you think of Pujara, you think of those marathon innings where he just refused to get out. His first Test hundred came against New Zealand in Hyderabad in August 2012, but it was just two months later against England in Ahmedabad that he truly announced himself with his first double century, an unbeaten 206. He even followed that up with another ton in the same series at the Wankhede.
But it was away from home where his true grit shone. I'll never forget that enthralling drawn Test against South Africa in Johannesburg in 2013. He batted for nearly six hours in the second innings for a monumental 153. Then there was the 2015 tour of Sri Lanka, where he was asked to open the innings in Colombo and responded with a defiant 145 off 289 balls. He just had this uncanny ability to rise to the occasion when the team needed him most.
Mastering the Toughest Conditions
Pujara wasn't just about scoring big; he was about surviving and thriving when others couldn't. Take the 2018 tour of England, for example. On a treacherous, seaming track in Southampton, he stood tall and scored an unbeaten 132. To put that into perspective, Virat Kohli's 46 was the next-highest score on that card. It was a masterclass in handling the swinging ball.
Another innings that perfectly defines his character was against Australia in Ranchi. The man sweated it out for a mind-boggling 672 minutes at the crease, facing 525 deliveries to score a double hundred. That's over 11 hours of batting! He didn’t just break the bowlers' backs; he broke their will. It's that kind of gumption that made him so respected around the world.
The Australian Conquests: A Career-Defining Chapter
If there's one chapter of his career that will be etched in history, it's his role in India’s back-to-back series wins in Australia. Those victories were built on the foundation of his unyielding defense and concentration. During the historic 2018-19 tour, he was simply phenomenal, hitting three crucial centuries in Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney. India won a Test series Down Under for the first time, and Pujara was at the very heart of it.
Two years later, he did it again, though in a very different way. The 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy defined his grit. He didn't score any centuries, but he faced an astonishing 928 balls across the four Tests against a fearsome attack of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc. He copped blow after blow to his body but refused to back down. His defiant 56 from 211 balls in Perth, where India sealed one of its most famous away wins, was arguably more valuable than many hundreds.
A True Gentleman of the Game
Here's the thing about Pujara: his love for the game never faded. Even after his last Test appearance in the World Test Championship final in June 2023, he didn't just walk away. While the Indian selectors looked for other top-order options, he continued to ply his trade in red-ball cricket. He turned out for his state team, Saurashtra, in domestic cricket and went over to England to play for Sussex in the County Championship.
That enduring commitment proved just how much he loves the sport. He wasn't playing for the glamour or the headlines; he was playing for the sheer joy of batting and competing. In his retirement message, he made sure to thank his teammates, coaches, and the fans who supported him throughout his long journey. His retirement truly marks the end of an era for a specific brand of Test cricket—one built on patience, discipline, and technical brilliance.
Conclusion
So, as we say goodbye to Cheteshwar Pujara, the Indian cricketer, we celebrate a career that was built on old-school values. In an age of T20 power-hitting, he was a throwback, a reminder of what it means to truly value your wicket. His legacy as a patient, dependable, and technically gifted batsman will undoubtedly continue to inspire young cricketers for years to come. Indian cricket, and Test cricket in particular, will miss its quiet, determined warrior at number three.
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