Cheteshwar Pujara has carved his title up among the many stalwarts of Indian home cricket because the veteran on Sunday turned the fourth batter to cross 20,000 runs in first-class cricket throughout Suarashtra’s third-round fixture within the ongoing Ranji Trophy season match in opposition to Vidarbha.
The 35-year-old has achieved the landmark in 260 matches at a mean of 51.96. Forward of Pujara, there’s Indian coach Rahul Dravid (23,794 runs at 55.33), Grasp blaster Sachin Tendulkar (25,396 runs at 57.84), and little grasp Sunil Gavaskar (25,834 runs at 51.46).
Pujara has been a prolific runscorer in Ranji cricket and a pillar within the center order for his county cricket aspect in England for Sussex. The Indian quantity three has performed 103 matches for India and has amassed 103 runs at a mean of 43.61.
Pujara won’t have been in competition for the Assessments lately, however throughout his peak, he was one of many prolific scorers within the format for India in abroad circumstances. Together with a stable method, sturdy temperament, grit, and unshakable willpower have been his energy in opposition to tempo.
He additionally has a superb document within the subcontinent and is an distinctive participant of spin bowling. In reality, Former England off-spinner Graeme Swann revealed that he didn’t like bowling to the 35-year-old. “The one batter I didn’t like bowling to was (Cheteshwar) Pujara as a result of he was very nimble on his toes,” Swann mentioned in a podcast for Sky Sports activities Cricket.
Swann performed a key function by choosing up 20 wickets within the well-known collection win of England in India in 2012. Nevertheless, he mentioned, “It’s unusual after I look again on the group that they had — VVS Laxman, Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, and Virat Kohli — and the one which I didn’t like bowling to was Pujara.”
Although Pujara is just not within the squad introduced for the primary two Check matches in opposition to England, he has continued to pile on runs for Saurashtra as he has all the time been doing within the Ranji Trophy through the years. Nevertheless, for India, after the World Check Championship closing in opposition to Australia, the batter was dropped from the aspect and has been neglected for abroad excursions and Shubman Gill took his spot at three within the aspect.