For someone who smashed 1000 first-class runs in a month's domestic cricket in the 2017-18 season, it shouldn't come as a surprise that a heavy duty scorer like Mayank Agarwal knows a thing or two about the art of conversion, believes Cheteshwar Pujara.
Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane along with the uncapped duo of Rajat Patidar and Sarfaraz Khan are in the running for a place in the Indian Test team.
India head coach Gautam Gambhir, BCCI president Roger Binny and all-rounder Hardik Pandya led the long list of joyous members of the cricketing fraternity in lauding Jay Shah, who was on Tuesday elected unopposed as the ICC Chairman.
Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane were part of India's Test team till earlier this year, but were left out of the tour to South Africa, the selectors pinning hopes on youngsters Shubman Gill and Yashawi Jaiswal to produce the goods in challenging conditions.
Do you know who rules Cheteshwar Pujara's heart?
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
Australia's in-depth planning to subdue Cheteshwar Pujara worked out well in the opening Test but spinner Nathan Lyon says it would be a massive challenge to keep the world-class batsman quiet through the remainder of the series.
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.
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson (919) continued to lead the batting charts, with the Australian duo of Steve Smith (891) and Marnus Labuschagne (878) rounding up the top three.
Pujara, on his part, thanked all the front-line warriors including doctors, para medical staff, and police, who are doing selfless service at this critical juncture.
'If it was up to me, Dubai would always host a one off match like this WTC game. Neutral venue, fabulous stadium, guaranteed weather, excellent training facilities and a travel hub!' KP tweeted.
Australia pace spearhead Pat Cummins describes Cheteshwar Pujara as a 'brick wall', whose wicket he targeted once captain Virat Kohli returned home after the first Test during the recent series against India.
South Africa pacer Kagiso Rabada tried to disturb Cheteshwar Pujara's concentration on the opening day of the second Test in Pune.
The county championship Division one was scheduled to start on April 12 before it was postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak.
He featured in four games earlier in the summer, scoring 223 runs at an average of 44.6, including 112 in the victory over Gloucestershire in May.
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.
BCCI president Sourav Ganguly on Monday lauded the efforts of Cheteshwar Pujara, Rishabh Pant and Ravichandran Ashwin in saving the third Test against Australia and urged the Indian team to go for a series win in the final match in Brisbane.
'Rising to the occasion once again and playing a well-balanced knock!'
Was called 'Steve', a racist reference to people of colour, reveals former staff
Cheteshwar Pujara hit an unbeaten century to guide Saurashtra to the Ranji Trophy final after they outclassed Karnataka by five wickets in the semi-final in Bengaluru, on Monday.
Cheteshwar Pujara and Arpit Vasavada gave a masterclass in defensive batting with a five-hour partnership on day two, taking Saurashtra to a strong position on Day 2 of their Ranji Trophy final against Bengal, in Rajkot, on Tuesday. Pujara (66 off 237), who was on five when he retired hurt on day one due to fever, and Vasavada (106 off 287) batted for two sessions and five overs as the hosts reached 384 for eight at the close of play.
Cheteshwar Pujara's masterful 193 and Rishabh Pant's magnificent unbeaten 159 extinguished Australia's hopes of winning the SCG Test.
The Indian Test cricket specialists posted pictures of them on 'daddy duty' as they took their children for a stroll around Sydney.
Mohammad Shami walked off the field after failing to complete his 14th over but top order batsman Cheteshwar Pujara insisted that the injury was not "serious" and the pacer would be back in action on Sunday.
According to Pujara, his nemesis Patrick Cummins bowled the 'ball of the series' about which he couldn't do anything.
'Without a team nothing can happen, it takes team work or team effort to win matches.' 'Individuals can perform significantly in helping the team win, but if the rest of the guys don't chip in, there is not much an individual can do.'
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.
Rahul Dravid's tenure as India Head Coach, which ended gloriously with the T20 World Cup triumph in Barbados on Saturday, will remain a case study on how to be stately and understated at the same time in modern-day cricket coaching.
'I cannot say in one line what Rahul bhai means to me. He has always been an inspiration, and will remain one'
Cummins hopes the conditions this time would be in Australia's favour, saying they would need to get the likes of Pujara out of his comfort zone to stop India.
Team management was always clear that once Rohit is fit and able to join the squad, he will be Rahane's deputy.
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.
Cricket fraternity hails Gautam Gambhir appointment
Pujara established himself as the difference between the sides in the ongoing series against Australia on Friday.
Indian batting stalwart Virat Kohli and Australia's Steve Smith would be more than keen to stamp their authority in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar series in which runs would be "at a premium", feels Australian great Matthew Hayden.
Cheteshwar Pujara caught up with his team-mates.
Cheteshwar Pujara, the new face in the Indian squad for the upcoming Test series against Australia, has all the right credentials to grace and brighten the star-studded Indian middle-order, says Haresh Pandya.
'Under lights, with the late swing, it is challenging for batsmen'
The Australian skipper celebrated Christmas with wife Becky Boston and their son Albie.
Pujara grafted his way to three centuries in the ongoing Test series against Australia, playing a key role in India's dominance.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances