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Cheteshwar Pujara Eyes Test Comeback: Experienced Indian batter Cheteshwar Pujara has expressed his strong desire to return to the national Test team for the upcoming five-match series against England in June. The veteran cricketer, who has been out of the squad for a while, believes he still has the hunger to score runs and is ready to grab any opportunity that comes his way.
Pujara last played for India in the 2023 World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia, where the team suffered a 209-run defeat. Since then, he has been active in domestic cricket, most recently featuring for Saurashtra in the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy quarterfinal against Gujarat. In that match, he scored 26 runs as Saurashtra was bowled out for 216.
“I’m Ready to Take Any Opportunity” – Pujara
Speaking at the RevSportz Trailblazers 3.0 Conclave, Pujara expressed confidence about making a comeback. He acknowledged that as an experienced player, he needs to work even harder to earn his place back in the squad.
“I’m playing domestic cricket, and if given a chance, I’m ready to grab it with both hands. The hunger is even greater now. As you grow older, you have to put in extra effort,”
Pujara said at the event in Kolkata.
India struggled to find a stable No. 3 batter during the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, where they lost the series 3-1. Several players, including Devdutt Padikkal, Shubman Gill, and KL Rahul, were tried in that position, but none could consistently perform. This has led to discussions about bringing back Pujara, who has been a reliable presence at No. 3 for over a decade.
“Australia Are the Toughest Opponents in Test Cricket” – Pujara
Reflecting on his Test career, Pujara recalled India’s historic series win in Australia in 2018-19, where he played a crucial role by scoring 521 runs. He described Australia as the toughest team to face in Test cricket and compared the victory to winning a World Cup.
“Australia are the toughest team in Test cricket. India never likes to lose to them, and that’s why the 2018 series win felt like winning a World Cup. It was the biggest achievement of my Test career, along with the 2020-21 series win when we repeated history,”
he said.
“India Has a Strong Chance in England” – Pujara
Looking ahead to the Test series in England, Pujara sounded optimistic about India’s chances. He emphasized that India has a strong bowling attack, but the batters need to step up and put enough runs on the board while adapting to the tough English conditions.
“We have the bowling attack to win matches. Our batters just need to score runs and respect the conditions and opposition bowlers. I won’t say we don’t have a chance,”
Pujara stated.
For the first time, India failed to qualify for the World Test Championship (WTC) final. They will now begin their new WTC cycle with the five-match Test series against England.
Pujara’s Test Career in Numbers
Since making his Test debut in 2010 against Australia, Pujara has played 103 matches, scoring 7,195 runs at an average of 43.60. His record includes 19 centuries and 35 half-centuries. He has also played 16 Tests in England, where he has accumulated 870 runs at an average of 29, including five fifties and one century.
With the England series approaching, it remains to be seen whether the selectors will give Pujara another chance to showcase his experience and resilience on the big stage.
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