Cheteshwar Pujara, the old-fashioned batter who lent spine to the Indian Test unit

Solidity at the crease and a sense of dignity remained Cheteshwar Pujara’s special attributes. As the Indian batter announced his retirement from cricket on Sunday, an era has ended. Pujara was all about classical batsmanship marinated in Test whites.

In an age of bling, mighty sixes and hyperbole, Pujara was an exception. The old-fashioned batter was eager to grind out attacks, took blows on his body, and often laid the foundation for his more effervescent team-mates like Virat Kohli to prosper.

It is a thread that links him to Rahul Dravid. Both men largely did duty at number three in Tests, they stemmed the initial crack when an opener departed, and often they were a shield to the next man stepping in. In both cases, the number four batter was a superstar, be it Sachin Tendulkar or Kohli.

In Pictures | Cheteshwar Pujara, one of the foremost Test specialists in 21st century, retires

Former Indian batter Cheteshwar Pujara announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on August 24, 2025. Pujara is most remembered for India’s Border-Gavaskar Trophy triumph in Australia in 2018 and 2020. He troubled Australia with his solid defence and technique.

In the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, he scored 271 runs from four matches at an average of 33.87, with three fifties and a best score of 77. In the final Test at The Gabba, he endured several body blows from Australian pacers on his body, making the win even more memorable.

Pujara was all about classical batsmanship marinated in Test whites. Pujara has played 103 Tests scoring 7,195 runs with 206 not out being his highest score. He has scored 19 centuries along with 35 half-centuries.

Solidity at the crease and a sense of dignity remained Cheteshwar Pujara’s special attributes.

In first class cricket, he has played 278 matches scoring 21,301 runs with 352 being his highest. His average in first-class cricket is 51.82. He has scored 66 centuries and 81 half-centuries.

The crowd’s raucous affection was reserved for Tendulkar and Kohli, while for Dravid and his successor Pujara, there was muted respect. Incidentally Pujara made his Test debut in Dravid’s hometown Bengaluru in 2010, and that too against Australia, an opponent he often defied through his storied career.

Cheteshwar Pujara also has played 71 T20 matches scoring 1,556 runs with 100 being his best.

In an age of bling, mighty sixes and hyperbole, Cheteshwar Pujara was an exception. The old-fashioned batter was eager to grind out attacks, took blows on his body, and often laid the foundation for his more effervescent team-mates like Virat Kohli to prosper.

Cheteshwar Pujara rings the five-minute bell before the start of the third day of the third Test match between India and England, at the Lord’s Cricket Ground, in London on July 12, 2025. series. Anil Kumble, who coached India during part of Pujara’s career, hailed him as a true ambassador of the game. “Congratulations on a fantastic career! You have been a great ambassador of this wonderful game,” he said.

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The crowd’s raucous affection was reserved for Tendulkar and Kohli, while for Dravid and his successor Pujara, there was muted respect. Incidentally, Pujara made his Test debut in Dravid’s hometown Bengaluru in 2010, and that too against Australia, an opponent he often defied through his storied career.

A brisk second innings 72 in a winning chase marked out Pujara as one for the long haul. The promising start, however, was marred by an injury. A knee surgery and its after-effects affected him for long. But he returned to his favourite longer format, and once Dravid retired, made the number three spot his own.

Leaving the ball, defending as if his life-breath depended on it, and getting his eye in before essaying some shots, were all part of Pujara’s copybook. Hailing from Rajkot and representing Saurashtra in first-class cricket, Pujara revealed an enormous appetite for runs.

Daddy hundreds were his norm and once he firmed up his stance within the Test unit, the runs, doughty and enduring, flowed. As he finishes with 7195 runs averaging 43.60 from 103 Tests, and with 19 tons to boot, Pujara can look back with pride at a splendid career.

He last played for India in 2023; leading up to it, the runs had dried up. Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane were eased out during the transition process. With Pujara preferring to rest his feet, a distinct stage in Indian cricket has concluded. As Rohit Sharma and Kohli have already retired, India’s middle-order is bound to sport a new feel, which was evident in the recent England tour.

Having moved into the commentator’s chair, an ultimate tribute was paid to Pujara when Aussie speedsters, while talking to him on air, told him, “Good, not to bowl to you Puji.” They would know, as Pujara was a leading champion when India defeated Australia in its backyard in the 2018-19 series.

He scored three hundreds then, and in the 2020-21 away series, he played a gritty hand as India prevailed over host Australia. At 37, Pujara has decided to move on while his place in the pantheon of Indian batting greats is assured.