Cheteshwar Pujara is not a new name in the Indian cricket scene, for he started breaking records at the tender age of 14. When playing in the Under-14 matches, the young Gujarat-born player scored three centuries, which had never happened before. He was later invited to play for the Indian Under-19 team in England, where he marked his presence as a high scorer. On an eventful day, Pujara scored two centuries. Pujara’s batting skills have been exceptional, and at some point, officials nearly changed game rules due to his response to fast bowling.
One unique aspect about Cheteshwar Pujara is his determination with the old-school batting style, with nothing fancy on offer. His mindset and methods have earned him accolades from both inside and outside the field. His primary focus is on the long cricket formats, and in 90 Test matches, he has scored a total of 6494 runs, at an average of 45.41. His highest score is 206 runs at a strike rate of 44.32. Throughout his Test career, he has scored 18 centuries, three double centuries, and 31 half-centuries. In the ODIs, Cheteshwar Pujara has only played in five matches, and out of five innings, he has scored 51 runs with a strike rate of 39.23.
In the IPL, he has featured in 218 matches where he has scored 16538 runs in 359 innings. His highest score is 352, which he achieved when playing against Karnataka. His stats include 50 centuries, 67 half-centuries, and over 2000 fours.
While Cheteshwar Pujara has had a fantastic run in cricket, his specialization in the extended overs has not given him enough of a platform to showcase what he can do with the white ball. However, he has bowled a few times in the IPL, and from his 218 IPL matches, he has taken six wickets, giving away only 157 runs. His best bowling was witnessed while playing against Rajasthan.
Initially, Pujara was signed to play for Kolkata Knight Riders in the first three seasons of the IPL, and in the 2011 auctions, Royal Challengers Bangalore bought him at a reasonable price. He graced the fourth season of the Indian Premier League before sustaining an injury that would put him out for a while. Currently, he is a member of the Chennai Super Kings squad.
