The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) extends best wishes to veteran Indian batter Cheteshwar Pujara as he celebrates his 38th birthday on Sunday.
BCCI took to X to extend its wishes to the batting great, who carved out a legendary Test career on the back of an impenetrable defence and a rock-solid technique.
“108 Intl matches 7246 Intl runs 19 Test centuries. Here’s wishing the gritty Cheteshwar Pujara, a very Happy Birthday,” BCCI wrote in an X post.
https://x.com/BCCI/status/2015290019754504255?s=20
Pujara made his international debut against Australia in Bengaluru on October 9, 2010. The latter played a total of 103 Tests and amassed 7195 runs at an average of 43.60. Pujara slammed 19 hundreds and 35 half-centuries throughout his international career with a highest score of 206*.
Pujara is most remembered for India’s Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) triumph in Australia in 2018 and 2020. He troubled Australia with his solid defence and technique.
The Indian red ball stalwart top-scored in the 2018 BGT with 521 runs in four matches at an average of 74.42, three centuries and a fifty. His best score was 193.
In the 2020-21 BGT, he scored 271 runs from four matches at an average of 33.87, with three fifties and a best score of 77. In the final Test at The Gabba, he endured several body blows from Australian pacers, making the win even more memorable.
Apart from international cricket, Cheteshwar Pujara was a domestic legend with over 21301 runs from 278 first-class games. The latter slammed 66 tons and 81 half-centuries through his first-class career.