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.
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.
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.
Discarded veterans Virender Sehwag and Yuvraj Singh have kept their base price in the highest bracket of Rs 2 crore, while Zaheer Khan and Cheteshwar Pujara's base price start with 1.5 crore for the upcoming players auction of the seventh edition of Indian Premier League.
While Cheteshwar Pujara's place in the Test side is not under any doubt, there are question marks creeping over whether he is the right batsman for the No 3 slot, especially overseas.
The 24-year-old Saurashtra batsman says he's back to full fitness and confident of regaining his place in the Indian team.
At stumps on Day 3, India were 125/3 in their second innings to extend their lead to 257 runs with Cheteshwar Pujara (50 not out) hitting a gutsy half-century.
Senior India batsman Cheteshwar Pujara is set to return on county circuit for a short stint with Nottinghamshire as cover for Australian pacer James Pattinson.
'It has been a wonderful journey so far. Playing the 50th Test match for the country will be a proud moment for me. Yes, there have been ups and downs but looking at my recent (good) form, I will be keen to score some runs in my 50th Test'
West Indies all-rounder Rahkeem Cornwall said making Cheteshwar Pujara his first victim in his debut Test was a good feeling to have.
Who do you feel is India's best bat for the No. 3 slot in the second Test against Sri Lanka, starting on Thursday, August 20.
High on confidence after their convincing victory in the fourth Test against England at The Oval, the Indian team got to business straightaway as they prepared for the fifth and final Test in Manchester.
India put together their second highest team total on Australian soil, piling up 622/7 declared on the second day of the match. Their highest team total, 705/7 declared, was also incidentally scored at this venue, in 2004.
India batsman Cheteshwar Pujara has been issued a British work permit and is set to join Derbyshire County Cricket Club this week for the remainder of the English County Championship.
Cheteshwar Pujara is set to play his 100th Test match when India take on Australia for the 2nd Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy
Ahead of the gruelling five-match Test match series against England, the Indian Test team led by skipper Virat Kohli, had a centre wicket training at the Durhan Cricket Club in Durham on Tuesday.
India's dependable No 3 landed and scored 162 for MRC against Crombest Club giving another example of his commitment towards the game irrespective of the level of competition.
"This time it's Rohit, not Virat....if you know you know," Stokes tweeted.
Swann said he benefitted from legendary Shane Warne's advice on how to play on spin-friendly Indian wickets.
India ended the fourth day of the Lord's Test on 181 for loss of 6 wickets.
Virat Kohli is the epitome of swagger, KL Rahul's strokeplay embodies lazy elegance but it is patience that is Cheteshwar Pujara's second name.
Team India began their preparation for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy
Cheteshwar Pujara, a vital cog in India's batting wheel, on Tuesday, stressed on the importance of leaving the ball on the bouncy pitches of South Africa during the three-Test series beginning, in Cape Town, on Friday.
Maharashtra batsman Ankit Bawne scored a gutsy century under pressure as West Zone took a vital 43-run first innings lead against East Zone on the second day of the Duleep Trophy quarter-final in Lahli.
IMAGES from Day 2 of the 3rd Test played between India and Australia in Indore on Thursday.
Cheteshwar Pujara rose to the occasion with a maiden century in Australia, pulling India out of a deep hole to a respectable 250 for nine on day one of the first Test in Adelaide on Thursday.
"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.
The selectors have decided to persist with struggling opener K L Rahul who has gone through a string of poor scores.
Former India captain and team director Ravi Shastri said Cheteshwar Pujara, who was not picked up by any of the teams for this year's Indian Premier League, deserves to be compensated handsomely as a reward for his consistent contributions to the Test team's success this home season.
Former Australia cricketer Brad Hodge called Jasprit Bumrah 'a nightmare to face' in an enormous compliment but picked Cheteshwar Pujara's runs at number three as the vital difference between the two sides.
'I am sure there is enough time for us to prepare and guys are looking forward to this series. This is the best opportunity for us to win our first series in South Africa. So all of us are looking forward to it.'
India will need to bat 90 plus overs on the final day of the third Test and score another 309 runs with Pujara and Rahane aiming to save the match
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.
'Excellent setting for an intra-squad match simulation here in Southampton.'
India batsman Cheteshwar Pujara jumped a couple of rungs to second, while skipper Virat Kohli held on to the fifth spot in the latest ICC rankings for Test batsmen.
While the young Indian team showed great resolve to earn a creditable draw in England, the series exposed several weaknesses that need urgent attention.
With an average of 65.17, he is only second behind Don Bradman.
India are set to play a Test against England from July 1 to July 5.
'See, he (Kohli) is a kind of player who performs well in all the formats of the game and the way he started off, if there was some other batsmen, I don't think they could have started in the same way. I think it's his confidence and way he is batting, in last two to three years, it would have been difficult for any other batsman to score at such a strike rate'
Former players Irfan Pathan and Parthiv Patel believe pace bowler Mohammed Shami will the hold the key for India with the ball in the upcoming ICC World Test Championship against New Zealand.
