India's premier Test batsman Cheteshwar Pujara will play for Team Zalawad Royals in the inaugural Saurashtra Premier League.
Images from Day 1 of the second Test between South Africa and India in Durban on Thursday.
As Cheteshwar Pujara plays a landmark Test against Sri Lanka, Rajneesh Gupta salutes the batsman's career thus far in numbers...
Between 2014 and 2019, he scored 21 centuries in just 55 Tests. Among these were seven double centuries, the most by an Indian in Test cricket. Remarkably, six of those double tons came within a span of just 22 Tests.
With only two training sessions possible under lights before the day/night Test at the Eden Gardens starting November 22, the Indian team is trying to make most of the time at their disposal.
He might have scored a century as opener in the last Test that India played but Cheteshwar Pujara on Thursday said he was willing to bat at any position he is asked to by the team's think-tank in the opening game against South Africa starting November 5 in Mohali.
The stage will also be set for Virat Kohli to score his first Test hundred since November 2019.
'Delhi can be expected to have very low bounce, in case they put in some grass, then the wicket becomes decent for batting also.'
Wriddhiman Saha's career-best first-class knock of 203 was the stand-out performance as Rest of India lifted the Irani Cup after effortlessly chasing down a 379-run target set by Gujarat with more than two sessions to spare, in Mumbai, on Tuesday.
A look at Team India's nets session in Kanpur on Tuesday.
Pace spearhead Harshit Rana received a well-deserved maiden call-up, following his impressive performances.
Keep an eye on these five players during the tournament.
Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara and KL Rahul were seen having a hit in the nets while Ishant Sharma, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Siraj and Mohammed Shami had a session with the ball.
England batsman Joe Root and Sri Lanka spinner Rangana Herath have moved up to second positions in their respective ICC Test player rankings but failed to displace top-ranked batsman Steve Smith and bowler Ravichandran Ashwin.
'I would like to see him play Test cricket, especially in these conditions.'
Like the billionaire investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, Gautam Gambhir, the tenacious former opener-turned-coach, also seems to be governed by instincts while picking unheralded players and turning them into match-winners, points out Vishal Menon.
It remains to be seen if Rishabh Pant retains his place in the team after his shocking dismissal at a crucial stage in the second innings of the second Test.
Images from Day 4 of the third Test between Australia and India in Brisbane on Tuesday.
Images from Day 3 of the second Test between South Africa and India, in Johannesburg, on Wednesday.
He has been in tremendous form of late with one hundred and three fifties in his last six 50-over games.
India's swing bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar on Tuesday jumped eight places to a career-best 22 following his impressive show in a lost cause in the first Test against South Africa but Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara slipped in the ICC ranking ladder.
Images from Day Two of the opening Test between India and New Zealand at the Rajiv Gandhi International stadium in Uppal on Friday.
The sub-narratives in the main story will be equally intriguing in the next 13 days.
Cheteshwar Pujara and Arpit Vasavada gave a masterclass in defensive batting with a five-hour partnership on day two, taking Saurashtra to a strong position on Day 2 of their Ranji Trophy final against Bengal, in Rajkot, on Tuesday. Pujara (66 off 237), who was on five when he retired hurt on day one due to fever, and Vasavada (106 off 287) batted for two sessions and five overs as the hosts reached 384 for eight at the close of play.
An emphatic six-wicket win in the fourth and final Test in New Delhi on Sunday helped Team India complete a historic 4-0 clean sweep against Australia.
'The man who led India to its greatest ever overseas Test series win. Happy Birthday @ajinkyarahane88.' 'May God give you the strength to fight every challenge.'
India will be without captain and batting mainstay Virat Kohli, who decided to skip the first of the two Tests, while batter Rohit Sharma, wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant and fast bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami will miss both matches.
We have Shubman Gill at one end ready to carry on the mantle but what about his partner?
'He is like a pillar and the whole team bats around him.' 'In today's world, everyone likes to play their strokes while Pujara is someone who will tire out the bowlers.' 'If you have one batsman who can play out the new ball or play out a spell from a good bowler, then it helps the whole team, it helps the other batsmen.'
Cricket fraternity hails Gautam Gambhir appointment
Test specialist Cheteshwar Pujara continued his good form with the bat as he and Robin Uthappa helped Saurashtra crush Punjab by eight wickets.
Indian women cricketers took to social media to laud the Board of Control for Cricket in India for introducing equal match fees for both men's and women's cricketers in a huge step to introduce pay equity in the sport.
In Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, India, says Haresh Pandya, has a bunch of exciting young batsmen who will go places, individually and collectively.
Centuries from Parthiv Patel and Aakash Chopra helped India A reach a healthy 354 for four against South Africa A.
Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli's collective failures against the moving ball in England has given rise to doubts about their class and ability and if they are the answer to India's search for batting solidity in the absence of their retired heroes.
Team combination a worry for India
The Indian team seemed to enjoy their training session in Centurion as they prepared for the opening Test against South Africa on Sunday.
India's Under-19 World Cup triumph has confirmed that India's reservoir is inundating with bright, exciting talents, says Haresh Pandya.
To keep their minds off the Pune disaster, the team went on a hike at Tamhini Ghat on Monday, and the trek to the Western Ghats seemed to have brought out their inner Platos and Ramanujas.
Indian cricket team, led by skipper Virat Kohli, on Thursday reached St Kitts to play a four-Test bilateral series against the West Indies starting with the opening match at Antigua on July 21.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances