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.
The legendary Sunil Gavaskar feels Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane repaid the trust that was shown in them, adding it is easy to get excited by young talents but the team should continue showing faith in its senior players.
The Indian team seemed to enjoy their training session in Centurion as they prepared for the opening Test against South Africa on Sunday.
Pujara went into lunch on 92 and hardly wasted any time to reach the landmark upon his return. Pujara hammered Saurabh for a couple of fours, one through the cover and one behind the point fielder, to complete his hundred.
A sharp mind with a penchant for trying out new things, senior off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin is relentless in his bowling approach and always tries to keep himself one step ahead of opposition batters, his long-time national team-mate Cheteshwar Pujara said.
Australia appealed for a catch off Cheteshwar Pujara's inside edge at short leg by Matthew Wade, off the bowling of Nathan Lyon, which was turned down by umpire Wilson following which the hosts opted to take the review.
Rahul hasn't crossed the 30 run mark in his last 10 innings and his overall career average of 33 after 47 Tests doesn't ooze confidence.
He has been in tremendous form of late with one hundred and three fifties in his last six 50-over games.
"This time it's Rohit, not Virat....if you know you know," Stokes tweeted.
The last time Pujara featured in the lucrative T20 league was for Kings XI Punjab, now re-christened Punjab Kings, in 2014.
Shastri wants both Ashwin and Jadeja in Indian playing XI for WTC Final
India's Test specialist Cheteshwar Pujara feels it is "impossible" to include both Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik in the playing eleven during the Asia Cup T20 tournament, given the team's settled top-order.
'What a player you're just amazing in what you do @imjadeja,' Shelly tweeted alongside a pic with the CSK captain after Saturday's game at the Wankhede.
Ravichandran Ashwin has maintained the top spot among bowlers
Mayank Agarwal played a captain's knock of 109, as his side took a 64-run lead on Day 2
Cheteshwar Pujara has so far played 77 Tests, scoring 5840 runs with 18 hundreds.
With more than a 100 runs still to get, it would be an uphill task for Maharashtra to turn the match around on Day 3.
After a month and half of topsy-turvy ride, eight teams have managed to steer themselves clear of other 24 contenders to enter the Ranji Trophy quarterfinals.
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.
India's much-vaunted top order let them down at The Oval
Star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja was rewarded with the elite grade A plus retainership.
'Every child's first hero is his father. I was no different. Even today, I remember what he taught me'
Rohit Sharma's request to the BCCI for a break from white-ball cricket in South Africa despite being offered T20 captaincy has been accepted, while Jasprit Bumrah has been named his deputy for the two Tests starting December 26.
The selectors have decided to persist with struggling opener K L Rahul who has gone through a string of poor scores.
Becomes first batter to face most balls against Australia in the last decade.
Cheteshwar Pujara still feels the sting of last year's drubbing in New Zealand but the batsman says India will be a different proposition when the sides clash again at the neutral venue of Southampton in next month's World Test Championship final.
India will be sending a second string squad for the T20I series in Ireland but a fit-again pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah is expected to be tested during the three matches in Malahide.
On the cusp of his 100th Test, Cheteshwar Pujara, the quiet warrior of Indian cricket, always ends up winning the race.
Do you know who rules Cheteshwar Pujara's heart?
India went to the Caribbean with a new top order, an uncapped stumper, and a rookie pace attack for the two-Test series.
'Cheteshwar Pujara is the wall (of Indian cricket) after Rahul Dravid. He is the Indian wall like the China Wall (referring to the Great Wall of China).'
Indian players are gearing up themselves at the Holkar Cricket Stadium for the pink ball Test match against Bangladesh.
With an eye on the gruelling Australia series that follows the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League, the Indian Tests specialists including Cheteshwar Pujara and Hanuma Vihari have begun preparations for the pink ball Test against Australia at the ICC Academy in Dubai, from Friday evening.
Paine admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by David Boon
Pant, whose rapid 146 put India in the box seat, was more restrained in the second innings.
Shepherded by Priyank Panchal's spunky innings, West Zone defied South Zone bowlers while chasing a formidable 298 and finished day four of the Duleep Trophy final at 182 for five.
The Indian team kicked off final preparations for the third Test against Australia with a gruelling practice session at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Tuesday.
Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid have enough options to choose from with selectors adding three players to the squad -- Sarfaraz Khan, Sourabh Kumar and Washington Sundar.
It has been decided that Rishabh Pant will not play the two T20 Internationals against Ireland and hence Hardik Pandya, who is his deputy for the South Africa series, is expected to lead the side.
Images from Day 3 of the fourth Test between England and India, at The Oval, on Saturday.
