Images from Day 2 of the second Test between India and Australia played in Hyderabad on Sunday.
England's bowlers must have heaved a huge sigh of relief when they saw the back of Indian run machine Cheteshwar Pujara.
'I think if you asked us at the start of the day if we'd take losing the toss and India being 9 for 250 at stumps, I think we'd bite your arm off'
Sidelined by a ligament tear in his right knee, talented middle-order batsman Cheteshwar Pujara is targeting the Australian tour later this year to make a comeback to the Indian squad.
On a day when the pitch played out easy barring the extra bounce and reverse swing extracted by the Aussie pacers, a determined Pujara held India's innings together.
Pujara scored an unbeaten 130 as India finished day one at 303 for four.
Pujara's slowest Test half-century, a painstaking 50 off 176 balls handed Australia control of the match in which they now have overall lead of 197 runs.
The right-hander currently has 873 points in the list of Test batsmen, headed by Australia captain Steve Smith.
Kevin Pietersen says the performance Indian batsmen, especially Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara, will be critical to the side's chances during its lengthy tour of England, come this summer.
Looking to cement his place in India's One-day cricket team, batsman Cheteshwar Pujara said he would like to open the innings in the limited-overs' format.
Pujara grafted his way to three centuries in the ongoing Test series against Australia, playing a key role in India's dominance.
'Under lights, with the late swing, it is challenging for batsmen'
Left-arm India seamer Jaydev Unadkat will join his Saurashtra teammate Cheteshwar Pujara at Sussex for three games in the County Championship in September.
Cheteshwar Pujara stood tall amid ruins as Sri Lanka struck twice in the truncated morning session to reduce India to 74 for five before rain forced play to be called off early on day two of the opening Test on Friday.
Images from the third day's play of the first Test between South Africa and India at the New Wanderers stadium in Johannesburg on Friday.
'...it's been Shubman Gill, who's been moving from the opener's slot, and he himself wanted to bat at No. 3.'
Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane hit unbeaten centuries to power India to 344 for three against Sri Lanka on Day 1 of the second Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo, on Thursday.
Prolific Saurashtra middle-order batsman Cheteshwar Pujara, who slammed his career's second Ranji Trophy triple hundred, may have to wait a little more to make his ODI debut, Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni indicated on Thursday.
'This is an experienced side and we know what is expected of our team.' 'When it comes to preparation, all of us are ready.'
Yuvraj Singh was left out of the Indian squad for the forthcoming Test series against Australia next month. His place in the team was taken by Saurashtra middle order batsman Cheteshwar Pujara, who has been one of the most successful batsmen in domestic cricket in the last few years.
'Rising to the occasion once again and playing a well-balanced knock!'
Indian batsman Cheteshwar Pujara said that his team's bowling performances in the first Test versus England was up to the mark and they should not be too disappointed with the 198-run world record stand for the last wicket between Joe Root and James Anderson in Nottingham.
Considering the Test format as the ultimate challenge for any cricketer, Cheteshwar Pujara, on Friday, said if he had to get an opportunity, he would still like to play the longest format.
If India goes on to win the inaugural ICC World Test Championship title, it could prove to be the watershed moment for the revival of the longest format just like the 2007 World T20 triumph did for the popularity of the shortest format, said Cheteshwar Pujara.
Cheteshwar Pujara feels the two warm-up games that the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led team will play before the five-Test series against England will help the visitors adapt to the conditions.
Veteran batter Cheteshwar Pujara slammed his second hundred of the ongoing Ranji Trophy season, guiding Saurashtra to a comfortable 242 for four against Rajasthan on the opening day of their Group A match, in Jaipur on Friday.
Sunil Gavaskar slammed the Indian team management for fielding an unchanged eleven in the dead rubber against Afghanistan, wondering whether the "fear" of bench players succeeding over current favourites prompted it to play the same team.
India 'A' skipper Cheteshwar Pujara (67) stood tall amid the ruins after his West Indies 'A' counterpart Veersammy Permaul wrecked the visiting line-up with a five-wicket haul on the second day of their second unofficial cricket Test in Kingstown on Sunday.
Cheteshwar Pujara stayed in the top-10 list in the latest ICC Test Rankings issued on Sunday. Pujara dropped a rung to seventh but is still better off than his teammates as far as the rankings are concerned.
Pujara, who had a base price of Rs 50 lakh went unsold at the IPL auctions in February.
'When I went out to bat, it was nearing the end of play. The West Indies players honoured me, and the crowd gave me a warm reception. Tears welled up in my eyes, but I had to stay focused.'
Cheteshwar Pujara is the first Indian batsman to post three hundreds in Tests in 2013 and is of the opinion that his side has enough runs on the board to press for a win on the final day in the first cricket Test against South Africa in Johannesburg.
Sachin Tendulkar turns 40 on Wednesday and the milestone means the sun will soon set on the batting maestro's illustrious career. Ahead of his big day, Tendulkar spoke to The Hindu about his satisfaction with Team India's youngsters, life after the retirement of teammates, dressing room banter and the evolution of batting.
Murali Vijay (129 not out) and Cheteshwar Pujara (162 not out) hit unbeaten centuries to put India in complete control on the second day.
Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara hit centuries as India reached 311 for one at stumps on the second day against Australia in Hyderabad, on Sunday.
A fit again Wriddhiman Saha was named in the Rest of India squad that will take on first-time Ranji Trophy champions in the Irani Cup to be held in Mumbai from January 20-24.
Under pressure to retain his place in the Test XI, Cheteshwar Pujara overshadowed Rohit Sharma by scoring a solid hundred as India Blue made full use of a placid track to amass 362/3 against India Red on the first day of the Duleep Trophy final in Greater Noida.
Rizwan said he had had some quality discussion with Pujara on perception of Indian players about being engaged in bilateral cricket with Pakistan.
Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane shared an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 93 to keep alive India's hopes of a series-levelling win over Australia, giving the hosts a lead of 126 on a see-saw third day of the second Test in Bengaluru on Monday.
India A captain Cheteshwar Pujara is a satisfied man after his team won the tri-series beating Australia A in the final but had a word of caution for the senior team stating that Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Co might not get as flat tracks that they got during this series.
