Pujara Announces Retirement from Indian Cricket

Veteran Indian batsman Cheteshwar Pujara declared his departure from all forms of Indian cricket on Sunday, marking the end of an impressive career that lasted for over a decade.

The 37-year-old shared the announcement on X (previously known as Twitter), expressing his gratitude to fans, teammates, and supporters for their encouragement throughout his journey.

“Wearing the Indian jersey, belting out the anthem, and giving it my all each time I took the field – words can’t capture what it truly meant to me.”

“But as the saying goes, every journey has its end, and it is with deep thankfulness that I’ve chosen to retire from all formats of Indian cricket,” Pujara stated.

Pujara played for the national team in 103 Test matches and five ODIs after his debut in 2010. He accumulated 7,195 runs in Test cricket at an average of 43.60, including 19 centuries and 35 half-centuries.

Home Ground Dominance

On home soil, he boasted an impressive average of 52.58, having scored 3,839 runs. His final Test appearance was in the World Test Championship final against Australia at The Oval in June 2023.

Key Innings and Achievements

Pujara’s inaugural Test century came against New Zealand in Hyderabad in 2012, followed by a double century against England later that year. He played vital innings in Johannesburg in 2013, Colombo in 2015, and Southampton in 2018, where he scored an undefeated 132 on a challenging pitch.

He also stands as one of only three Indian players, along with ML Jaisimha and Ravi Shastri, to have batted on all five days of a Test match.

Marathon Innings

A particularly remarkable performance was in Ranchi in 2017, where he faced 525 deliveries and batted for over 11 hours to achieve a double century against Australia.

Pujara’s efforts were pivotal in India’s consecutive Test series victories in Australia. During the memorable 2018-19 tour, he recorded three centuries, leading India to their first-ever series victory Down Under.