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Cheteshwar Pujara, who turns 33 today, is regarded as of one of India’s finest Test batsmen ever and a worthy successor at No. 3 to the original ‘Wall’ Rahul Dravid.
Cheteshwar Pujara’s resilience and resolve have brought some of the world’s finest bowling attacks to their knees. He played a crucial role for India in their back-to-back Test series triumphs in Australia.
In 81 Tests, he has 6111 runs to his name at an average of 47.74, which includes 18 hundreds and 28 fifties. Critics may point out to Cheteshwar Pujara’s ‘slow’ strike rate. However, Pujara's contribution to the team cause transcends numbers.
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The Saurashtra cricketer has seen numerous ups and downs in his career, battling form and injury issues, but has come back stronger each time, which is a tribute to his unflinching attitude, mental resolve and commitment towards the sport.
Cheteshwar Pujara's five most memorable Test innings
On his 33rd birthday, let us look back at five of Cheteshwar Pujara's most memorable knocks in the longest format of the game.
#1 123 vs Australia in Adelaide (December 2018)
Brief scores: India (250 & 307) beat Australia (235 & 291) by 31 runs.
The first Test of a series often sets the tone for things to follow. In that sense, Cheteshwar Pujara’s 123 in Adelaide in the 2018-19 series was a marker of sorts for the rest of the series..
Not for the first time India got off to disastrous start after batting first. KL Rahul, Murali Vijay, Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane all perished cheaply to leave the visitors tottering at 41 for 4. Rohit Sharma threw away another start to put India in further trouble at 86 for 5.
Cheteshwar Pujara’s dismissal at that point would have seen India crumble to a low first-innings total. However, the defiant No. 3 held things together as only he can.
He built key partnerships with Rishabh Pant (25) and Ravichandran Ashwin (25) to kickstart the visitors' fightback. Batting with the tail, Cheteshwar Pujara farmed the strike beautifully, keeping the dangerous quartet of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon at bay.
Unlike during the recent tour, Cheteshwar Pujara batted much more positively during the 2018-19 series. He hammered seven fours and two sixes, scoring 123 runs at a strike rate of 50 before being run out. However, the visitors posted 250 on the board by then.
The visitors eked out a slender first-innings lead before scoring 300 plus in their second essay, where Cheteshwar Pujara scored 71. Australia were never in the chase before a lower-order resistance saw them fall short by 31 runs.
It was India's first Test win in Australia in a decade. Cheteshwar Pujara would score two more hundreds in the series, but it was the Adelaide ton that set the ball rolling for the visitors.
#2 153 vs South Africa in Johannesburg (December 2013)
Brief scores: India (280 & 421) drew with South Africa (244 & 450/7).
Doing well in South Africa is one of the biggest challenges for Indian batsmen, and it is no different for India's number three.
Cheteshwar Pujara endured a torrid time during his first visit to the country in 2010-11. But he was determined to make a greater impact on his next tour in 2013, and he managed to do so.
The obdurate number three compiled a quite magnificent 153 off 270 balls in the team’s second innings of the Johannesburg Test. Cheteshwar Pujara’s brilliant knock featured as many as 21 fours as he stood up to a bowling attack comprising Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander, Morne Morkel, Jacques Kallis and Imran Tahir.
Cheteshwar Pujara looked in little trouble against some of the best bowlers in the world during this knock before he was caught behind off Jacques Kallis.
Virat Kohli scored 119 and 96 in the drawn Test while Faf du Plessis and AB de Villiers hit tons in South Africa’s second innings as the hosts finished on 450 for 7 chasing 458.
Cheteshwar Pujara’s knock though will go remains one of the finest-ever by an Indian batsman in South Africa.
#3 206 not out vs England in Ahmedabad (November 2012)
Brief scores: India (521/8d & 80/1) beat England (191 & 406) by nine wickets.
Cheteshwar Pujara’s career-best knock of 206 not out came against England in Ahmedabad in November 2012.
It was again the first of a four-match Test series, and Cheteshwar Pujara produced a marathon innings to make a statement of intent.
Batting first after winning the toss, India scored 521 for 8 declared, thanks to Cheteshwar Pujara’s scintillating unbeaten double hundred.
Virender Sehwag got India off to a rollicking start with a run-a-ball 117 after which the No. 3 batsman wore out the English attack. He occupied the crease for 513 minutes, facing 389 balls and hitting 21 fours.
Cheteshwar Pujara did not allow James Anderson and Stuart Broad to make much of an impact, and the duo toiled for a solitary wicket between them in 51 overs.
He featured in a 130-run stand for the fifth-wicket with Yuvraj Singh (74), helping India put up a massive total on the board. Pragyan Ojha picked up nine wickets in the Test after England were made to follow-on.
Despite Alastair Cook’s 176 in England’s second innings, India won the Test comprehensively by nine wickets.
#4 204 vs Australia in Hyderabad (March 2013)
Brief scores: India (503) beat Australia (237/9 decl. & 131) by an innings and 135 runs.
Cheteshwar Pujara was the star performer as India thumped Australia by an innings and 135 runs in the Hyderabad Test in March 2013. Despite skipper Michael Clarke’s 91, Australia only managed 237 for 9 in their first innings.
India then batted Australia out of the match, scoring 503 runs, with Cheteshwar Pujara contributing a fluent 204 off 341 balls. The number three batsman was in complete control of his innings, hitting 30 fours and a six, and the Australian bowlers had no answer to his brilliance.
Cheteshwar Pujara featured in a massive stand of 370 runs for the second wicket with opener Murali Vijay (167) as James Pattinson, Peter Siddle, Moises Henriques and Xavier Doherty could make little impact on the Indian duo.
Pujara was eventually dismissed trying to hook Pattinson, walking off to a standing ovation.
India then rolled over Australia for 131 in their second innings, with Ravichandran Ashwin claiming 5 for 63.
#5 145 not out against Sri Lanka in Colombo (August 2015)
Brief scores: India (312 & 274) beat Sri Lanka (201 & 268) by 117 runs.
Cheteshwar Pujara’s hundred in Colombo in August 2015 was the player's second coming of sorts.
Owing to poor form, the batsman hadn’t played a Test since December 2014. However, with Murali Vijay injured for the third Test of the series against Sri Lanka, Cheteshwar Pujara was asked to open the innings.
The player responded with a fine, unbeaten hundred, which saw India clinch the three-match series 2-1.
After Sri Lanka had asked India to bat first, Cheteshwar Pujara held the innings together despite wickets falling around him on a track that aided pace bowlers.
Despite Cheteshwar Pujara’s resistance, India had slipped to 180 for 7. However, an eighth-wicket stand of 104 between Pujara and Amit Mishra (59) lifted the visitors.
Cheteshwar Pujara (145 not out) occupied the crease for 456 minutes and faced 289 balls, carrying his bat to help India post 312 on the board.
He was dismissed without scoring in the second innings, but Ishant Sharma picked up eight wickets in the match to help India win by 117 runs.
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