Cheteshwar Pujara, India's batting mainstay in Test cricket, has surged to a career-high third position in the ICC Rankings after scoring back to back centuries against Sri Lanka in the ongoing three-match series.
As India's marathon 13-Test home season draws to a close after the fourth and deciding match against Australia in Dharamsala later this week, captain Virat Kohli gave a ringing endorsement of Pujara's worth in the longest format.
Saurashtra took firm control as India discard Jaydev Unadkat grabbed a five-wicket haul to skittle out Vidarbha for a paltry 151 on the opening day of their Ranji Trophy quarter-final in Vizianagaram, Andhra Pradesh. After Unadkat's 5/70 saw Subramanium Badrinath's side being bowled out in just 50.4 overs, Saurashtra batted cautiously to end the day at 70 for one in 30 overs. Test specialist Cheteshwar Pujara looked in good touch as he remained unbeaten on 45 from 71 balls with nine boundaries to his credit. With the wicket easing out, Pujara looks set for a long haul and Saurashtra will be aiming to out-bat the opposition. Giving Pujara company is the other opener Sagar Jogiyani, who consumed 87 balls to remain undefeated on 19.
Images from Day 3 of the third Test between India and Australia in Ranchi on Saturday.
Images from Day 1 of the third Test between India and England, at the Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad.
The hosts are without the services of all-rounder Jadeja for the first two Tests of the four-match series against England as he is nursing a thumb injury he sustained on the tour of Australia.
Ravichandran Ashwin, who was left out of the first Test, is back in the mix as Shardul Thakur seems to have done his hamstring some damage during the training session at Lord's on Monday.
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI in the first Test against England, starting on Wednesday?
England pace bowler Stuart Broad swept aside the India middle order batting in an inspired spell on Sunday to propel his team to a crushing innings and 159 runs victory on the fourth day of the second Test at Lord's.
Cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar, on Wednesday, singled out 'Run Machine' Cheteshwar Pujara for his stellar show in India's historic maiden Test series win in Australia.
Australia pace spearhead Pat Cummins describes Cheteshwar Pujara as a 'brick wall', whose wicket he targeted once captain Virat Kohli returned home after the first Test during the recent series against India.
Images from Rohit Sharma's wedding to long time girlfriend Ritika Sajdeh in Mumbai.
Cheteshwar Pujara said his side's first innings 187 was "like scoring 300 on any normal pitch" and puts them on top after the opening day of the third and final Test against South Africa on Wednesday.
India last lost a Test series on home soil nearly 10 years ago.
New Zealand's Kane Williamson grabbed the second spot while Cheteshwar Pujara is third on the list.
Batting legend Sunil Gavaskar came down heavily on India opener Rohit Sharma for throwing his wicket away with a reckless shot, on Day 2 of the fourth and final Test against Australia, in Brisbane, on Saturday.
Cheteshwar Pujara warmed up in style for the upcoming two-Test series against West Indies with a fluent century in the warm-up match against West Indies Cricket Board President XI.
India fast bowler Bumrah has achieved a career-high ranking of 33rd, after his three for 47 and three for 68 at Adelaide helped him to rise five places.
Shreyas Iyer's dream Test debut has put India in pole position in the opening Test against New Zealand but it also presented his team with a selection headache for the second and final test in Mumbai next week.
'There are greats, there are legends and then there is @sachin_rt.'
Images from Day 2 of the fourth Test between India and England, at the Narendra Modi stadium, in Motera, Ahmedabad.
Cheteshwar Pujara has set an example for others with his first-innings century
Debutant Shreyas Iyer and recalled opener Shubman Gill struck half-centuries to help India overcome Kyle Jamieson's terrific display of seam bowling and post 258/4 on Day 1 of the opening Test against New Zealand.
Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja dominated with the ball for India while Virat Kohli ended his long wait for a Test century.
He is expected to play a major role during next year's tour of South Africa and Cheteshwar Pujara is confident that the upcoming Sri Lanka series will give him a 'good opportunity' to prepare for the tough assignment ahead.
'We only felt that it has never happened before, I don't think it will ever happen again. It was a freak inning'
Shubman Gill once again showcased class as he hit his maiden Test fifty
Rishabh Pant smashed a blistering 146 and forged a 222-run stand with Ravindra Jadeja to drag India back into the contest in the rescheduled fifth Test against England in Edgbaston on Friday.
Cheteshwar Pujara ended his run-drought with an unbeaten 90 as Derbyshire beat Surrey by eight wickets in the Division Two County Championship match at the KIA Oval on Wednesday.
The right-hander currently has 873 points in the list of Test batsmen, headed by Australia captain Steve Smith.
The Indian squad led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni departed for New Zealand from Mumbai on Sunday for a five-match ODI series followed by a best-of-two Test rubber against the hosts.
Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara have been a "bit of a headache" for South Africa and the hosts will look to get them out early on Day 3 of the series-deciding third Test, said Proteas batter Keegan Petersen, in Cape Town, on Wednesday.
What happened at the Gabba on January 19, 2021 now sits at the pinnacle of India's most significant Test wins, declares Faisal Shariff.
IMAGES from Day 1 of the rescheduled 5th Test between England and India at Edgbaston in Birmingham on Friday.
'You are going to face an England team where Joe Root is back to his absolute best, where Oliver Pope is playing his best-ever for England. Ben Stokes has amalgamated the team and got playing in an ultra-positive and rock and roll fashion.'
Ajinkya Rahane is scouring the missing runs. By batting at the nets in shorts spans, against a variety of bowlers, and by doing everything else that is in his control, the seasoned Rahane is bracing up for the upcoming Test series against New Zealand, knowing well it could decide his future in the Indian team.
Pujara, on his part, thanked all the front-line warriors including doctors, para medical staff, and police, who are doing selfless service at this critical juncture.
Bandon Mein Tha Dum is about a team that hits rock-bottom, loses key players, has its global reputation shrink overnight, but despite all the setbacks, pulls off one of the greatest comeback victories in the history of international cricket, applauds Shailesh Karkera.
The Indian Premier League Players' Auction auctions are always 'tricky' and going unsold does not make him feel frustrated, reveals Cheteshwar Pujara as he fights the public perception of being a red-ball specialist.
Captain Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara made centuries and shared a stand of 226 to put India on course for a big first-innings total against England on the first day of the second Test on Thursday. - Scorecard: Kohli was unbeaten on 151 and Ravichandran Ashwin on one as India reached 317 for four at the close after winning the toss in the first ever Test match in the port city of Visakhapatnam.
