Cheteshwar Pujara - What the numbers say

#2 Highest average in India’s current Test side

Pujara has a Test average of almost 50

It’s not the least bit surprising that Pujara has a rock-steady Test average, hovering around the often golden benchmark of Test cricket - 50. At 49.95, not only does Pujara have a great Test average – after having played 39 tests and 66 innings – the Indian batsman also has the highest Test average amongst his teammates playing in the current India-England series.

Having started his Test career with a flurry of centuries, Pujara had seen a dip in form over the past couple of seasons.

However, a good outing against the Kiwis (3 half centuries and a century), and a century in the first test against the English team will do his confidence a world of good. Pujara is 3 runs away from scoring 3000 runs in Test cricket and has already scored 9 centuries and 10 half centuries in his young Test career. If he scores 3 runs or more in the next innings he plays (his 67^th), he will join elite company by becoming the fifth fastest Indian (in terms of innings taken) to reach the milestone.

Both Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid took 67 innings to reach the 3,000-run mark. The only faster Indians are: Sehwag (55), Azharuddin (64), Sunil Gavaskar (66), Gautam Gambhir (66).