Cheteshwar Pujara finally announced his retirement on Sunday, after being repeatedly ignored from the Test side for two years. His last match for India came during the 2023 WTC final, and the wait only grew from there. His absence was felt in the IND vs NZ series and then the IND vs AUS series that the team lost badly.
Cheteshwar Pujara Bids Adieu to Cricket
Nonetheless, it is time to move on. While the reasons for leaving are crystal clear, yet Cheteshwar Pujara has come out and revealed himself, as to what led to the decision. In an interview with SportsTak, the veteran said, his departure would mean an opportunity to a youngster.
“This was my personal call, and I decided that this is the right time and I think the young players should get an opportunity in domestic cricket. Earlier, I thought I might play the Ranji season, but then I thought if a younger player got an opportunity, they will be groomed early, so this was my personal call” Pujara told Sports Tak.
No Ranji Trophy As Well
He also revealed hos favorite wins of his career — and the 2018 win in Australia, followed by the 2021 victory are the most memorable. “In 2018, the team won a series on Australian soil for the first time — that was a memorable moment for me. Then in 2021, they won the Test series again. Both of those series are very special to me” Pujara added.
Eventually, he did retire with a stellar Test and domestic record. In 103 Tests, he scored 7195 runs at an average of 43, including 19 tons and 35 fifties. As far as the FC record is concerned, he smashed 21301 runs in 278 matches, at an average of 51. He had 66 tons to his name including 81 fifties.
