Australia Test captain Pat Cummins has named Cheteshwar Pujara as the toughest Indian batter he bowled to during his international career.
Cummins praised Pujara for his patience and ability to stay at the crease for a long time. He compared bowling to the former India batter to ‘death by a thousand paper cuts’ and said Pujara rarely gave bowlers a chance. Pujara played a key role in India’s Border-Gavaskar Trophy wins in 2018-19 and 2020-21. Cummins also picked tough opponents from other countries, including Alastair Cook, AB de Villiers, Brendon McCullum, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Chris Gayle.
Why Did Pat Cummins Pick Cheteshwar Pujara?
Cummins picked Pujara when he was asked to name the toughest opponents he had faced from different countries during his career.
The Australia captain said Pujara was extremely difficult to dismiss because of his patience and strong defence. He also praised the former India batter for not giving bowlers easy chances.
‘India, I am going to say, Pujara. He is really hard to get out. It is just like death by a thousand paper cuts. Happy to face 100 dot balls if he wanted to. He isn’t going to give you a chance,’ Cummins said while speaking to Prime Video Sport.
How Did Pujara Trouble Australian Bowlers?
Pujara’s style of batting often tested the patience of bowlers. He was ready to play long innings and spend a lot of time at the crease.
His performances were especially important in India’s Border-Gavaskar Trophy wins in 2018-19 and 2020-21. He played a key role in both series and became one of Australia’s toughest batters to dismiss.
Which Pakistan Player Did Cummins Pick?
For Pakistan, Cummins picked former spinner Saeed Ajmal. He recalled facing Ajmal and said the spinner could surprise batters with his bowling.
‘Pakistan, Saeed Ajmal. It was like the last ball of the over; I walked in, Saeed Ajmal just goes, and I went, what? Clean bowled. I have never seen anything like that,’ Cummins said.
Who Else Made Cummins’ List?
Cummins also named several other former international stars as difficult opponents. His list included England’s Alastair Cook, South Africa’s AB de Villiers, New Zealand’s Brendon McCullum, Sri Lanka’s Tillakaratne Dilshan and West Indies’ Chris Gayle.
All the players named by Cummins have retired from international cricket.
What Were Pujara’s Numbers For India?
Pujara finished his Test career with 7,195 runs in 103 matches. He scored 19 centuries and 35 fifties at an average of 43.6.
He also played five ODIs for India and scored 51 runs. Pujara announced his retirement from international cricket in 2025.