India's batting sensation Cheteshwar Pujara says the upcoming Test series in New Zealand should be a little easier than the recent one against South Africa, where the team was beaten 1-0 in the two-match series.
Spurred by Chirag Jani's a five-wicket haul, defending champions Saurashtra scripted their first knockout win of the season with a 238-run thrashing of Vidarbha on the third day of their Ranji Trophy Elite Group A match in Nagpur on Sunday.
India captain Virat Kohli said he was not "cool as ice" after the Australian lower-order's spirited resistance delayed India's march to victory in the opening Test in Adelaide.
'If Rohit wants to open, KL should bat at No. 3. Nothing later than that.'
Cheteshwar Pujara continued his good form in Ranji Trophy as he slammed his second successive century as Saurashtra dominated their Elite Group A match against Manipur.
Mayank Agarwal, vice-captain of South, Sarfaraz Khan and Prithvi Shaw have come to this match riding on heaps of runs that they have made in the previous Ranji season.
Australia coach Justin Langer lamented a lack of world-class batsmen in his side's line-up and pointed out that Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara have been the difference for the visitors in the ongoing four-match Test series.
Led by the in-form Cheteshwar Pujara, India 'A' will eye revenge for the ODI series loss when they take on a confident West Indies 'A' in the unofficial three-Test series, starting at the Gangotri Glades, in Mysore, on Wednesday.
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.
Cheteshwar Pujara's reputation as a Test specialist had hampered his IPL prospects for last few years but India's No 3 is now ready to turn the corner for Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2021, having picked up cues from the likes of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
With Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane unbeaten at the end of the penultimate day of the WTC Final, will India pull off another stunning win?
Pujara overcame ball sighting problems and hit a crisp 166 before state-mate Sheldon Jackson sent the India Green bowlers on a leather-hunt with Blue team piling up a mammoth 707 in a virtual 'semi-final' of the Duleep Trophy, in Greater Noida on Monday.
Cheteshwar Pujara didn't exactly have a great tour of Australia in 2014-15 but the Saurashtra batsman has been 'flexible in altering his game' as per team's demands which has got him success this time, said captain Virat Kohli.
India may not have played a Test match for more than three months now but off-spinner R Ashwin held on to his eighth spot in the ICC Test bowlers' rankings led by South African paceman Dale Steyn.
On Wednesday, July 13, Cheteshwar Pujara rolled over his arm and bowled some leg-spin for Sussex.
The 29-year-old, who entered an exclusive club on Day 5 of the ongoing Test, came in to bat at the crease after opener KL Rahul was dismissed off the first delivery of the match on the opening day.
Saurabh Kumar was virtually unplayable on a raging turner, returning with a match-haul of 10 wickets as Rest of India beat Saurashtra
Cheteshwar Pujara scored a sparkling unbeaten 135 as India took a stranglehold over South Africa in the first Test in Johannesburg on Friday. The top-order displayed remarkable application on Day 3, as the tourists, after dismissing the hosts for 244 in the first innings, swelled their overall lead to 320.
Virat Kohli's struggles against balls outside the off-stump in the ongoing Test series against Australia has the great Allan Border wondering if the Indian superstar has "just lost that edge".
A round-up of Ranji matches played on Sunday.
Images from Day 1 of the first Test between Sri Lanka and India in Colombo, on Thursday.
Rohit tested positive during a warm-up match in Leicester last week.
A round-up of Ranji matches played on Saturday.
County cricket teaches you a lot and helps you grow as a cricketer, says Cheteshwar Pujara as the Indian batsman emphasised the benefits of playing in England's domestic competition after scoring his 12th Test century.
Cheteshwar Pujara's marathon double hundred complemented by Wriddhiman Saha's dogged century put India in complete command with an imposing total of 603 for 9 against Australia on the fourth day of the third cricket Test.
Team management was always clear that once Rohit is fit and able to join the squad, he will be Rahane's deputy.
New Zealand's bowlers kept chipping away at the wickets to reduce India to 239 for seven on Day 1 of the second Test at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, on Friday. The 24-year-old from Christchurch, who replaced Ish Sodhi, dismissed Shikhar Dhawan (1) and Murali Vijay (9) in the first 50 minutes in his brilliant first spell of 6-2-14-2 as the Kiwis seamers utilised the grassy condition to full effect after Kohli opted to bat.
According to PTI, the chairman of selectors, Chetan Sharma has asked the duo to regain form by playing Ranji Trophy.
Cheteshwar Pujara waged a lone battle with a fighting 86 but Rest of India's batting line-up floundered against Gujarat's bowling attack and were pushed against the ropes by the newly-crowned Ranji Trophy champions.
Star India batter Virat Kohli reached another landmark on day one of the first Test match against South Africa in Centurion on Tuesday to become the highest run-getter for India in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2019-2025.
Steve Smith overtook India's Cheteshwar Pujara to grab the No 3 spot in the ICC rankings
Out-of-favour following a string of poor scores, top-order batsman Cheteshwar Pujara is keen to stage a comeback into the Indian Test squad. He says it's just a matter of time before he regains his place in the playing eleven.
Brendon McCullum struck a fighting century, Indian fielders did what they are best at (read: dropping catches) and there are still two days to go in this 2nd Test at Wellington.
Pujara hit his 49th first class hundred and shared an unconquered 201-run fourth-wicket stand with Sheldon Jackson (90) to help his side end the fourth day at 224 for three, just 55 runs away from the victory.
"If anyone doubted he was ever a team man, they got to see it first-hand today. That requires more than just steel," Shastri said in a video posted by the BCCI on its website.
Pujara admitted that the pitch is extremely difficult to bat on and the runs put on board is good enough to challenge Australia
Despite India in a difficult position, Pant played fearlessly and scored regular boundaries.
During his patient knock, Pujara faced 250 balls, hitting 16 of them for fours, and added 75 runs for the unbeaten fifth wicket stand with Vihari.
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.
Known for his proficiency in Tests and a prolific scorer in first class cricket, Cheteshwar Pujara has set himself a task - of forcing people to take notice of his prowess in the T20 format too and play in the upcoming Indian Premier League season.
