Former Team India of-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has praised his former team partner Cheteshwar Pujara after his retirement. The experienced player also said that Pujara played an important role in helping Virat Kohli score a lot of his runs in Test cricket, saying that he did not always get the same recognition.
Pujara announced his retirement after playing 103 Tests. He scored an average of 7,195 runs at 43.60 with 19 centuries and 35 fifties. Pujara last played at the Oval against Australia during the 2023 World Test Championship final. He was not recently selected in the West Zone Squad for the Dalip Trophy.
Cheteshwar Pujara helped Virat Kohli score run – Ravichandran Ashwin
Speaking on his YouTube channel ‘Ash Ki Baat’, Ravichandran Ashwin said that Cheteshwar Pujara’s presence at number 3 was important for India’s testing success. Ashwin reported that Pujara absorbed the pressure, which set the stage for Virat Kohli to score runs.
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Ashwin said, “What did Cheteshwar Pujara do in Indian cricket? I said that his contribution is nothing short of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Obviously, many people talk about his contribution. There is no attention,” Ashwin said.
He said, “Not every cricketer’s attention is noticed, but this does not mean that his contribution is low. Pujara’s contribution at number 3, as well as, as well, Virat Kohli also played an important role in helping him to score a lot of his runs,” he said.
Pujara and Virat Kohli shared several partnerships in the Indian testing side together during their time. He played his marathon knock against Australia in Ranchi in 2017, where he became the only Indian to face more than 500 delivery in the same Test innings.
Cheteshwar Pujara played 53 balls before getting off the mark – Ravichandran Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin recalled the battle of Cheteshwar Pujara on the pitch of a dangerous wandering in 2018. Ashwin said that Pujara faced 53 balls before scoring his first run, saying that his efforts were not taken care of.
“There was a wicket in South Africa, the game had to be stopped in the wanders. The wicket was considered dangerous. We lost the series. Pujara played 53 balls before getting off the mark,” said Ravichandran Ashwin.
“Just to see that the scorecard, Pujara’s batting helped us. It was a low scoring game. He always worked thanks; The ball was doing a lot in that test. Pujara’s contribution is incredible. People don’t talk much about him, but he is a bole fid legend. He does not have many players like him.”
Pujara’s gritty knock on “Garib” Johannesburg pitch helped India’s victory in 2018
Cheteshwar Pujara showed remarkable courage on a pitch during the 2018 Johannesburg test, which was “poor” by ICC. He faced 53 dot balls before opening his account and went to a gritty in a half -century in 179 delivery in India’s first innings. Pujara and Virat Kohli helped India in 187.
In response, South Africa scored 194 on a surface with uneven bounce and seam movement. The batsmen fought several wars, forcing the matches of the match to step into one phase.
Pujara was rejected for only 1 in the second innings, but India managed to set a target of 241 runs. Fast bowler Mohammed Shami raced for five wickets, which sealed the victory. India excluded South Africa for 177, which led him to win a consolation on the tour.
Also read: East-South Africa captains cancels retirement from international cricket ahead of the World Cup.
