Watch: When Cheteshwar Pujara Took Several Body Blows During His 56 Off 211 Against Australia
Cheteshwar Pujara, an icon for India in Test cricket, announced his retirement from all formats of Indian cricket.
- Cheteshwar Pujara retired from all forms of Indian cricket in 2023 at age 37
- Pujara once faced 211 balls and scored 56 runs in the 2020-21 Gabba Test, aiding India's historic win
- In the match, Pujara received several bodily blows to help India secure a victory
The only man who could be called Mr. Dependable since the retirement of Rahul Dravid from Indian cricket, Cheteshwar Pujara's name goes down in Indian cricket history as a player who always put the team above himself. Pujara was one of the chief architects of India's triumphant performances in Australia during the 2018-19 and the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy tours. During the famous 2020-21 Gabba Test, Pujara took several bodily blows from Australian pacers on the final day of the match to ensure a historic win for the team Down Under.
Pujara faced a whopping 211 balls in the innings, scoring 56 runs, as he continued to deny his wicket to the Australian bowlers, helping India secure a memorable victory by 3 wickets.
A bit late to this but i still have this video on my phone. Got it from FB back thn and never deleted it. Yes, we needed quick runs to chase the target to win the game that day but Pujara made sure we didn't lose the game from his end, literally taking body blows. pic.twitter.com/4hzcy0zV9M
— Kaushik Kashyap (@CricKaushik_) January 19, 2024
The 37-year-old made the announcement on social media, having played the last of 103 Tests in 2023.
"As a little boy from the small town of Rajkot, along with my parents, I set out to aim for the stars; and dreamt to be a part of the Indian cricket team. Little did I know then that this game would give me so much - invaluable opportunities, experiences, purpose, love, and above all a chance to represent my state and this great nation.
"Wearing the Indian jersey, singing the anthem, and trying my best each time I stepped on the field - it's impossible to put into words what it truly meant. But as they say, all good things must come to an end, and with immense gratitude I have decided to retire from all forms of Indian cricket," said Pujara in a heartfelt note.
The decision to retire was not entirely surprising, considering the team's two other stalwarts, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, said goodbye to Test cricket ahead of the England tour earlier this year.
With PTI inputs
Cheteshwar Pujara