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Although he hasn’t played Test cricket since 2023, Indian legend Cheteshwar Pujara officially confirmed his retirement from the game recently, bringing the curtain down on a career that saw him play 103 Tests for the Indian team.
He never played in a T20I and featured in just five ODIs. Pujara was a classical cricketer with a proper Test match temperament.
Playing in an era of high-profile stars like MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar and Rohit Sharma, Pujara was a man who went about his business quietly and efficiently.
This is evidenced by his incredible body of work that saw him finish with 7,195 Test runs, at an average of 43.60 with a highest score of 206 not out.
Following the confirmation of his retirement, let’s take a moment to look at some of the statistical highlights from the career of Cheteshwar Pujara.
1. 5,000 Test career runs and 50 fielding dismissals
Reaching the landmark of 5,000 Test runs is often seen as the dividing line between a good international batsman and a great one. Pujara passed that milestone in January 2019 against Australia at Sydney, in the middle of what was arguably the finest series of his career.
By the end of his career, he had over 7,000 runs; a total that puts him among India’s most prolific Test batters.
Equally important was his contribution in the field. Pujara was an ever-reliable slipper, often stationed next to Virat Kohli in the cordon. He finished with 66 catches in Tests, a neat statistical pairing with his 5,000-run landmark.
2. Batting on each day of a five-day Test
Only a select group of players (13 in total) have managed the feat of batting on every single day of a Test match, and Pujara joined this rare company in 2017 against Sri Lanka in Colombo.
Having batted across both innings, he was at the crease on all five days of the match, underlining his powers of concentration and endurance.
It summed up his role in the Indian side: the man who could be trusted to dig in, blunt the opposition attack, and occupy the crease for hours on end.
Admittedly his effort in joining this list was aided by rain.
Many of the batters on this list have secured their place on the list off the back of substantial knocks; Pujara makes it here with scores of 52 (made over the first three days) and 22 (which started on day four and ended on day five).
3. 47th on list of most Test centuries – 19
While Pujara was rarely known for explosive batting, he accumulated centuries with regularity across a decade of international cricket. He finished with 19 Test hundreds, putting him 47th on the all-time list and firmly among India’s top century-makers.
Each of his hundreds carried weight, often coming against strong opposition and in high-pressure situations.
Perhaps none were more memorable than his three tons made on the 2018 tour to Australia where he was named Player of the Series as India secured their first-ever series win in Australia.
Pujara starred in that four-game series with knocks of 123 in Adelaide, 106 in Melbourne and 193 in Sydney.
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4. 28th on list of most Test double-centuries – 3
Few batsmen in the modern game have had the patience and concentration required to compile double centuries. Pujara managed the feat three times, placing him 28th on the all-time list of most double hundreds in a Test career.
His first, a career-best 206 not out against England at Ahmedabad in 2012, came early in his career and announced him as a player ready to fill Rahul Dravid’s shoes at No. 3.
His other double hundreds, both at home against Australia, further emphasized his ability to play marathon innings.
5. Century and a 90 in same Test
In 2017 at Ranchi, against Australia, Pujara produced one of his more unusual statistical quirks – a century and a score in the 90s in the same Test match. He made 202 in India’s first innings, before following it up with 92 in the second.
The double-act reinforced his reputation as a man capable of wearing down attacks over long spells, while also demonstrating the resilience to back up a huge innings with another substantial score.
It was a hallmark of his consistency at the highest level. While Pujara was a great batsman, playing Australia seemed to bring out the best in him. His career average was 43.6, his average against Australia was a fraction under 50.
6. 45th on list of most fours in Tests – 863
Pujara was never a player who relied on brute force or six-hitting. Instead, his runs flowed through precision stroke-play, placement, and patience. Across his 103 Tests, he struck 863 boundaries, leaving him 45th on the list of most career fours in Test history.
The statistic reflects both his style and method, an old-school batsman who believed in playing proper cricket shots, accumulating runs through timing rather than innovation.
7. 30th on list of longest individual innings by balls – 525
Endurance was always Pujara’s trademark, and one of his most remarkable efforts came in 2017 against Australia in Ranchi.
Facing a world-class bowling attack featuring Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon and Steve O’Keefe (who bowled a massive 77 overs), Pujara batted for 525 deliveries to make 202.
That marathon innings ranks as the 30th longest by balls faced in the history of Test cricket. It was the ultimate demonstration of his stubbornness, discipline, and willingness to grind bowlers into the ground.
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The post Cheteshwar Pujara takes these 7 interesting records into international retirement appeared first on Cricket365.
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