Indian cricketer Cheteshwar Pujara made history during the Ranji Trophy match against Chhattisgarh, as he hit his 18th double ton in first-class cricket. He now holds the fourth spot on the list of players with the most first-class double centuries, behind legends such as Don Bradman and Wally Hammond. Pujara's impressive performance led Saurashtra to a commanding lead, scoring his 25th century in the Ranji Trophy.
As the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) prepares to announce the team for the upcoming Australia series, all eyes are on veteran batsman Cheteshwar Pujara. With his impressive record against Australia in the last two tours, Pujara's experience could prove crucial for India's success. Meanwhile, selectors must also decide whether to give younger players a chance or stick with Pujara's proven abilities. Despite not featuring for India since the World Test Championship final, Pujara has continued to score runs, with his most recent appearance in the Ranji Trophy showcasing his skill and determination. With India facing challenges in the fast bowling department, the inclusion of players like Nitish Reddy, Shardul Thakur, Akash Deep, and Yash Dayal is also being considered. Mohammed Shami, who is crucial for India's bowling attack, might not be able to fully recover in time for the first matches of the series.
As the Indian cricket team prepares for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Test series against Australia, all eyes are on who will replace experienced players Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara in the playing eleven. With the return of these players seeming unlikely, Dinesh Karthik has named Shubman Gill and Sarfaraz Khan as potential replacements. Gill and Khan have shown their abilities in recent matches, making their selection for the series highly anticipated.
Former England spin bowler Graeme Swann has revealed the difficulty of bowling to Cheteshwar Pujara, who was known for his dominance against spin in his peak. Swann admitted that his stints of taking 20 wickets and being one of the crucial factors that led to England’s win in India made him praise the batsman even more. Swann particularly mentioned Pujara’s ability to move tactfully and urged the current England team to steer clear of verbal altercations with Virat Kohli as he enjoys confrontations.
The BCCI announced its centrally-contracted players for the year on Wednesday, with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli retaining their spot in the top bracket. However, rising stars like Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer were excluded for not playing Ranji Trophy as directed by the board. Senior off-spinner R Ashwin, who will be playing his 100th Test next week, and Mohammed Siraj, who has been promoted to A category, were the notable names in the list. Cheteshwar Pujara, Shikhar Dhawan, Umesh Yadav, and Yuzvendra Chahal lost their contracts, signaling the end of their road with the Indian team.
Indian cricketer, Cheteshwar Pujara, showed great attention to both the ongoing India-England test match and his upcoming Ranji Trophy match by enquiring about the score and pitch conditions at the practice facility. He expressed concern over the Indian team losing three wickets on that pitch and discussed the conditions with journalists. Pujara was seen practicing in the nets, but quickly shifted focus to his next domestic assignment, showing his determination and focus on the game.
Indian cricketers Cheteshwar Pujara and Ravindra Jadeja were honored by the Saurashtra Cricket Association at an event held in Rajkot, a day before the third Test between India and England. The duo shared their memories of playing together for the Saurashtra team at the under-14 level, with Pujara recalling his initial reluctance to leave home for cricket. Jadeja also shared his memories of playing for Saurashtra and taking fifers at the Niranjan Shah Stadium.
Former India player Karsan Ghavri has expressed his disapproval of dropping veteran Cheteshwar Pujara from the Indian team for the ongoing Test series against England. With the absence of Virat Kohli and KL Rahul, the Indian batting lineup has been struggling and Ghavri believes Pujara should have been included in the team. The 72-year-old also suggested that Pujara would have been the perfect replacement for Kohli in the first two Tests and praises his skills as a player. As the third Test approaches, India is likely to give debuts to Sarfaraz Khan and Devdutt Padikkal as replacements for Rahul and Shreyas Iyer, who has been dropped due to underperformance.
Indian cricket stars were in top form during the ongoing Ranji Trophy matches, with Prithvi Shaw, Cheteshwar Pujara, KL Rahul, and Rohit Sharma making impressive contributions for their respective teams. However, there is uncertainty around the participation of young batter Shreyas Iyer due to injury, and Indian captain Virat Kohli is still on leave for personal reasons. Fast bowler Mohammed Shami also revealed that he misses his daughter while being away on tour.
Former India captain and head coach Ravi Shastri warns young batter Shubman Gill after dismissal by James Anderson during the second Test match between India and England. Gill's promising start was cut short and Shastri reminds him that experienced campaigner Cheteshwar Pujara is waiting in the wings and ready to prove himself as he continues to shine in domestic cricket.