After impressive scores against New Zealand, Australia and West Indies on docile Indian conditions, Cheteshwar Pujara has a chance to prove himself on the challenging tracks of South Africa, writes Bikash Mohapatra.
The life of Saurabh Kumar, veteran of a decade in domestic cricket, took a sharp turn on Monday when he made the Indian squad for the second Test against England starting in Visakhapatnam on February 2.
Former Australia Test skipper Tim Paine labelled the SCG pitch as an "absolute disgrace" which was produced for the Sheffield Shield match between New South Wales and Tasmania.
For one so young, Cheteshwar Pujara is extremely religious. He performs puja, meditates and lives a simple life despite being a celebrity. Haresh Pandya, who has known the batsman since he was a child, reveals the role his family and spirituality have played in his achievements.
Cheteshwar Pujara continues to be the only Indian batsman in the top-20 list as he has managed to maintain his sixth spot, while off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin is the highest-ranked bowler at number eight, in the latest ICC Test rankings issued in Dubai.
'If we keep bowling like this, we will win as many as Tests as possible.'
Saurashtra batsman Cheteshwar Pujara was on Friday named the captain of the India 'A' team that will tour the West Indies in June for three four-day matches, three One-dayers and two Twenty20s.
Yadav, playing in a Division One game for Middlesex against Lancashire, toiled for his five-wicket haul as he returned with figures of 33-4-131-5 in a drawn game at Manchester.
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.
Opener K L Rahul missed out on a hundred while captain Cheteshwar Pujara struck a solid fifty to steer India 'A' to 221 for six on a rain-affected first day of the first 'unofficial' Test against Australia 'A', in Chennai, on Wednesday.
It still left Australia in possession of a sizeable lead of 88 and Lyon wrecked India's top order before the home side could erase their deficit.
Cheteshwar Pujara became the first Indian batsman to post a double hundred in Tests at Hyderabad. He enjoys an impressive record at the venue, averaging 181.50, his runs' tally being 363 in two innings.
Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara batted with restraint in the first session. They also ensured that they kept their wickets in tact. This allowed them to get set at the crease and then go after the Aussie bowling and accelerate the innings. This is where India got it right on Day 2.
IMAGES from Day 2 of the 3rd Test played between India and Australia in Indore on Thursday.
Relieved after notching up his first hundred in close to two years, Indian batsman Cheteshwar Pujara thanked A team coach Rahul Dravid for reassuring him that there was "nothing wrong" with his technique during the prolonged lean patch.
Skipper Cheteshwar Pujara hit a scintillating 140 as India 'A' posted 281 for three against South Africa 'A' at stumps on the opening day of the first unofficial Test in Rustenberg.
Cheteshwar Pujara is gearing up for new challenge. The 25-year-old is a huge success on the Indian pitches and therefore this Saurashtra lad is looking ahead to the senior team's possible tour of South Africa followed by the confirmed visit to New Zealand.
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?
India and Australia began training for the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
India's middle-order batsman Cheteshwar Pujara and off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin have achieved their career-best rankings in batting and bowling, respectively in the latest ICC Test Player Rankings released on Tuesday.
Being dubbed as a 'Test specialist' at times can be a bane rather than a boon and no one understands it better than Cheteshwar Pujara, who feels that the perception of people would change soon.
Images from Day One of the opening Test between India and New Zealand at the Rajiv Gandhi International stadium in Uppal on Thursday.
India's bid to win a 17th consecutive home Test series, however, hinges on the success of their three-pronged spin attack comprising Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel.
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.
Alastair Cook worries over England's lack of preparation but backs Bazball for success in India
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.
As Ravichandran Ashwin achieved the milestone 100th Test in Mohali, everyone had their lists of his best bowling feats. But Ashwin's finest cricketing moment was probably when he and Hanuma Vihari battled inhuman injury to draw the Sydney Test against Australia after India were bowled out for 36 in the first Test at Adelaide.
India's star cricketer Cheteshwar Pujara, who is also Election Commission's Brand Ambassador in Gujarat, specially flew down from Abu Dhabi, where he has been part of the Kings XI Punjab in the ongoing Indian Premier League, to cast his vote in Rajkot on Wednesday.
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.
Former captain Rahul Dravid believes a settled middle order can ensure Indian Test team's success abroad.
The Indian batsmen have been outwitted by Australian spinners in the ongoing Test series but Cheteshwar Pujara insists that there is "nothing wrong" with their batting line-up.
The 24-year-old Rajkot-born batsman is only the sixth Indian to hit a double century against England.
Captain Rohit Sharma believes all individuals showed a lot of character and stepped up when needed to take India to the World Test Championship final for the second consecutive time.
Former India opener Wasim Jaffer feels incumbent vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane will have to consistently score runs to remain in the Test reckoning.
Cheteshwar Pujara scored a scintillating century to place Saurashtra in a dominating position on the third day against Rajasthan
Former India captain Rahul Dravid can feel the pain Cheteshwar Pujara is going through. The batting icon also had a tough time proving he was good enough for One-Day Internationals after being categorised as a Test specialist in the early part of his career.
Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli's exploits with the bat in the two-Test series sweep of New Zealand will encourage India to believe they have pinpointed the right men to help carry the team through a tricky transitional period.
Following their loss in the T20I series to West Indies, the young Indian team, led by Hardik Pandya, faced a lot of criticism and backlash.
Cheteshwar Pujara missed out on a second successive double hundred but his 182 went a long way in Saurashtra piling up a mammoth 570 in their first innings against Gujarat on the second day of the Ranji Trophy.
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.
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