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With a World Test Championship (2021-23) final berth on the line, Team India are set to lock horns with arch-rivals Australia for a four-game Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.
As the much-awaited series draws closer, the visitors will certainly be wary of India's solid top order, and among them, Cheteshwar Pujara is the one they will be particularly keen on sending back to the pavilion early, and for good reason.
The No. 3 batter has been immensely reliable for India over the years. His dogged approach, sound technique and ability to compile big scores make him a bowler's worst nightmare.
To add to his repertoire, Pujara loves batting against Australia, having amassed a total of 1893 runs at an average of 54.08 in 20 matches (his most against any Test team).
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As India gear up for the series opener in Nagpur, we take a look at some of Pujara's best performances against the Aussie unit.
#5 92 (off 221) in the 2nd Test in Bangalore in 2013
Under Virat Kohli, India became a ruthless side with dominant series wins against New Zealand, Bangladesh and England. However, Australia stunned the Asian giants in Pune to take a 1-0 lead in the four-match series in 2013.
Even in the first innings of the second Test in Bangalore, they bundled out India for just 189 runs and Australia had a crucial 87-run lead on a spinning Chinnaswamy pitch.
With the pressure of losing the Border-Gavaskar Series, Pujara stitched together a vital 118-run partnership with Ajinkya Rahane (52) to post a decent target for the visitors to chase.
With his resolute approach, he defied the threat of Nathan Lyon and Steve O'Keefe, who took nine wickets between them in the first innings. After battling for 221 balls, Pujara scored a brilliant 92 and helped India put up a target of 188 for Australia in the fourth innings.
Courtesy of Ravichandran Ashwin's six-wicket haul, India bundled the Aussies for 112 to win the Test by 75 runs. From then on, India got momentum and they went on to win the series 2-1.
#4 202 (off 525) in the 3rd Test in Ranchi in 2013
In the third Test against Australia in Ranchi during the 2016-17 series, Australia batted first and put up a competitive 451 on the back of hundreds from Steve Smith (178) and Glenn Maxwell (104). In response, India needed a big knock to stay in the game and Pujara once again rose to the challenge.
The resolute No. 3 batter played a marathon knock, occupying the crease for 672 minutes and facing 525 balls during the course of his 202-run knock. He thus became only the first Indian ever to face more than 500 balls in a single innings of a Test match.
In an innings filled with patience, Pujara clobbered 21 fours and added 102 for the second wicket with Murali Vijay (82). Later in the innings, he was also involved in a crucial 199-run seventh-wicket partnership with Wriddhiman Saha (117). Due to his heroics, India scored 603/9 before declaring and securing a 152-run first innings lead.
Australia then made 204/6 in their second innings and the match ended in a draw. This match-saving innings from Pujara will be remembered forever by the cricketing fraternity and the Gujarat batter was handed the Man of the Match award.
#3 204 (off 341) in the 2nd Test in Hyderabad in 2013
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 Pujara contributing a fluent 204 off 341 balls. The then-25-year-old was in complete control of his innings, hitting 30 fours and a six, and the Australian bowlers had no answer to his brilliance.
He 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 while 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 to help India win the match by an innings and 135 runs.
#2 193 (off 373 balls) in the 4th Test in Sydney in 2018/19
The historic Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) hosted the fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2018/19. India were leading the series 2-1, and a win or draw would mean their first-ever Test success on Australian soil.
Test specialist Pujara, who scored 328 runs in the first three Tests leading up to the SCG Test, continued his impressive run and came up with a climacteric knock of 193 runs.
After opting to bat first, India lost KL Rahul early to Josh Hazlewood before Pujara stood tall with a composed knock that took 373 balls, leaving the Aussie bowlers with many questions to answer.
This was in a Test where Virat Kohli (23) suffered a rare failure, but Pujara maintained resistance to lead India to 622-7. Rishabh Pant too came up with a coming-of-age innings and scored his personal-best 159* off 189 balls.
Australia were, in turn, dismissed for 300 and were enforced a follow-on, but it was even too late as the match ended in a draw and India scripted a historic series win.
#1 128 (off 248) and 71 (off 204) in the 1st Test in Adelaide in 2018/19
The first Test of a series often sets the tone for things to follow. In that sense, Cheteshwar Pujara’s 123 in Adelaide was a marker of sorts for the rest of the series in 2018-19.
Not for the first time, India got off to a 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.
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 the only way he could.
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. 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.
After India’s bowlers did well to restrict Australia to 235, he once again stood up for the team, contributing a gritty 71 in the second innings.The visitors posted 307 in their second innings, setting Australia a competitive target of 323.
Jasprit Bumrah, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Mohammed Shami claimed three wickets each as India registered a famous 31-run win.
Pujara was the deserved Player of the Match for his significant contributions in both innings.
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