Ravichandran Ashwin Hails Cheteshwar Pujara’s Contribution
Former India all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin believes Cheteshwar Pujara never received the spotlight despite contributions similar to Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Pujara recently announced his retirement from Test cricket, ending an illustrious career of 103 matches with 7195 runs at an average of 43.60, including 19 centuries and 35 fifties.
Pujara, often called the successor to Rahul Dravid, built his reputation as India’s reliable No.3 batter. He stood firm at the crease in tough conditions and played crucial roles in overseas victories. Ashwin, speaking on his YouTube channel, highlighted how Pujara’s efforts were overshadowed by teammates.
“What did Cheteshwar Pujara stand for in Indian cricket? I said his contributions are no less than Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Obviously, a lot of people talk about their contributions. The attention is not there. Not every cricketer gets the attention, but that does not mean their contribution is any less. Pujara’s contribution at No.3, believe it or not, was instrumental in helping Virat Kohli also make a lot of his runs,” Ashwin said.
Kohli-Pujara partnerships defined India’s batting stability
Kohli and Pujara together scored 3513 runs from 83 innings at an average of 43.37 with seven century stands and 18 fifties. Their most famous partnership came against England at Visakhapatnam in 2016, when they added 226 runs for the third wicket.
Ashwin compared Pujara’s resilience to a famous fantasy character.
“The cricket-loving public definitely knows the contribution of Cheteshwar Pujara. If you guys have seen Game of Thrones, there is a character of a white walker. I termed Pujara a white walker. He walks slowly but never leaves the field,” Ashwin said.
Pujara’s final days in Indian cricket
Pujara last played in the World Test Championship 2023 final against Australia, which India lost by 209 runs. Despite his heavy domestic scoring in 2023-24, selectors overlooked him even when India played England without Virat Kohli.
Ashwin’s words underline how Pujara’s calm, gritty presence gave India much-needed balance, ensuring Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma flourished at the top.
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