Cheteshwar Pujara’s Retirement: The End of a Defining Chapter in Indian Cricket
Cheteshwar Pujara, known for his effort and classical Test batting, played his final match for India in the WTC Final against Australia in June 2023. His quiet retirement, without a formal farewell, has sparked criticism from fans and experts. Many are now questioning how Indian cricket honours its legends. The debate over respectful send-offs for veteran players has once again come to the forefront, as highlighted by Your IPL News.
Cheteshwar Pujara Stats Across All Cricket Formats
Cheteshwar Pujara was not just a phenomenal player at the international level his flat-bat techniques also destroyed the Domestic First-Class and List A formats. Below is a summary of Cheteshwar Pujara’s statistics across all formats of cricket:
| Format | Matches | Innings | Runs | Average | 100s/ 50s | Highest Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests | 103 | 176 | 7,195 | 43.6 | 19/35 | 206* |
| ODIs | 5 | 5 | 51 | 10.2 | 0/0 | 27 |
| First-Class | 277 | 451 | 21,301 | 52.29 | 66/80 | 352 |
| List A | 119 | 116 | 5,401 | 54.07 | 14/34 | 158 |
| T20s | 30 | 28 | 390 | 54.07 | 0/1 | 69 |
In domestic cricket, Pujara was just as dominant. He scored over 21,300 first-class runs and hit 66 centuries, making him one of India’s most accomplished red-ball players.
Note: The ‘100s/50s’ shows how many centuries and half-centuries (centuries first).
Pujara Australia Series Hero: His Role in India’s Greatest Overseas Victories
Pujara has become a household name through his contributions to India’s great historical Test series victory in Australia. In the 2018-19 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Pujara scored a staggering 521 runs, with three match-defining hundreds, and was instrumental in India winning their first Test series on Australian soil. and was duly described as the Pujara Australia series hero.
Pujara’s Retirement Highlights the Excellence of Classical Test Batting
Cheteshwar Pujara is a master of classical batting and built the strong base on which the fast-paced, high-scoring T20 cricket tournaments are played today. Pujara averaged only 20.07 in the Ranji Trophy. Players with these numbers dream of playing for India. For Pujara, this meant a chance to represent the country. His batting was never about hitting big shots; it was about playing the ball smartly, keeping the scoreboard moving, and tiring out the bowlers.
This was the appeal to Test cricket fans, and the reason he was frequently mentioned in the same sentence as Rahul Dravid, the maestro of classical Test cricket in India.
Cheteshwar Pujara’s Farewell and the Reactions That Followed
Pujara’s retirement generated a great deal of respect from the cricketing world. Alyssa Healy, an Australian cricketer, said he made bowlers’ mentally draining. Shashi Tharoor, Indian politician and cricket fan suggested a formal, respectful farewell, and added, how much Pujara had given Indian cricket.
Social media was filled with hashtags like #ThankYouPujara and #PujaraRetires, with fans celebrating his journey and unforgettable innings.
Pujara’s Personal Statement on Retirement Shows Humility and Grace
In his farewell message, Pujara wrote:
“It’s been a remarkable journey. I have lived my dream and given everything I had to the game. I walk away with my head held high and nothing but gratitude.”
This message reflected the same calm and composed personality that defined his cricketing career.
Why Cheteshwar Pujara’s Retirement Leaves a Gap in Indian Test Cricket
When Pujara hangs up the boots and avoids international cricket, it takes away more than just a player. It takes away a mindset. Pujara was the player who could hold his ground on a pitch that did not favour a batter and provide stability to the batting order, especially while playing in tough bowling conditions away from home.
It is going to be near impossible to find a player who can even come close to doing what Pujara has done for India in Test cricket. His patience and technique, and the mental strength to extract from those two things were absolutely rare qualities that made him of the most reliable players in world cricket.
Conclusion
Cheteshwar Pujara’s retirement signposts not just a career ending, but the end of a significant chapter in Indian cricket, and highlights the history of growth of India as a Test cricketing giant. In all of Pujara’s statistics and if nothing has gained him substantial respect in Australia, he has shown strong effort, work ethic, and the unwavering spirit of determination.
As fans of Pujara and Test cricket, we are grateful to him for demonstrating that there is beauty in defense and the appreciation of patience and grit. He never chased the limelight, but in not doing so, earned the respect of the cricketing world.
Thank you, Cheteshwar Pujara, for giving everything to the longest and toughest format of the game.
