Cheteshwar Pujara, India's most reliable Test batsman, recently retired from all types of Indian cricket, leaving behind a legacy of grit, patience, and consistency. In a career spanning 13 years at the international level, Pujara appeared in 103 Tests, making 7,195 runs with an average of 43.60, 19 centuries, and 35 half-centuries. His statistics, when segmented by home and away grounds and conditions, tell the real tale of a player who performed under pressure both in India and internationally.
Pujara's performances in Indian conditions were nothing less than spectacular. He accumulated 3,839 runs at home at an average of 52.58, demonstrating his skills at stopping the innings in familiar conditions. His steady temperament and flawless technique enabled him to excel against spin-dominated attacks, tiring out opposition bowlers and paving the way for Indian wins. Some of his standout performances are his double hundred in Ranchi against Australia, when he spent 672 minutes at the crease and faced 525 deliveries, showcasing incredible concentration and endurance.
Pujara's overseas track record solidifies his image as a fighter. He was the pivot around which India's historic series victories in Australia revolved, with three centuries in the 2018-19 tour in Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney. Over four Tests in 2020-21, Pujara played 928 balls against Australian pacers, at times at the expense of his body, including a 211-ball 56 in Brisbane, demonstrating his resolve to nut out runs in difficult conditions. In England, he stood tall in Southampton in 2018, making 132 not out, demonstrating his ability in seaming conditions. Pujara became one of the only three Indians, along with ML Jaisimha and Ravi Shastri, to bat through all five days of a Test, demonstrating his remarkable endurance and concentration.
Pujara scored 21,301 runs in 278 matches at 51.82 in his first-class career, with 66 tons and three triple centuries, indicative of consistency that went far beyond international cricket. His first Test hundred was against New Zealand in 2012, followed by a home double hundred against England and another hundred in the Wankhede Test, the venue known for Kevin Pietersen's heroics.
Cheteshwar Pujara's retirement is the end of an era for India's middle order. His performance, especially in challenging overseas tours and constructing humongous partnerships at home, has left a blueprint for future generations of Indian Test cricketers. A bulwark at home and a fight-harder abroad sort of player, Pujara's career statistics are testimony to his commitment, perseverance, and cricketing acumen.
