India Test veteran Cheteshwar Pujara has made it to the Indian squad for the Test match against England in July this year. Pujara was dropped from the team ahead of the home series against Sri Lanka. The reason for that was his string of failures in the longest format. Recently, he joined Sussex to get some form back in the red-ball cricket.
He scored a plethora of runs which compelled the selection committee to include him in the squad. The right-hander has amassed 720 runs in just five games at a staggering average of 120, including four hundreds and a highest score of 203. Notably, this was his first hundred in the red ball game after January 2019.
At that time, he scored a Test hundred against Australia in the fourth game of the series. Since then, he did come close to the three-figure mark but failed to cross it. Even last year, when he was part of the team on England tour, he came close in the third game of the series.
Meanwhile, the 34-year-old has played 95 Tests and has been part of the two back-to-back Test series wins in Australia. The first one was in 2018-19 when the team created history by winning their first-ever series down under. In that series, he was the highest run-getter, with more than 500 runs. The second one was in 2020-21 when the team won the series despite missing big-ticket players.
The right-hander has got 6713 runs in the longest format and is 287 runs away from getting to the 7000 runs. He averages 43.87 in the format which is astonishing given he had a bad year in 2021. The Rajkot player has got 18 hundreds and 32 fifties in his career and the highest score of 206 not out against England in 2012-13 when India hosted the Three Lions.
It will be interesting to see whether he will be able to carry his county form in the Test match.
This is how Twitter reacted
Congratulations on your @BCCI call-up, @cheteshwar1. ? pic.twitter.com/tabGCxlEYu
— Sussex Cricket (@SussexCCC) May 22, 2022
Happy about Pujara making a comeback. He is an important character in India's domination of test cricket since 2015, currently on 95 tests, he deserves to play 100 tests. We will move Hanuma Vihari at 5 for the time being. Welcome back Pujji! https://t.co/6vDToDTkqk
— Ricky talks Cricket (@CricRicky) May 22, 2022
Cheteshwar Pujara is back!
My day is made!!!! #EngvInd #CricketTwitter https://t.co/M5VMLlyeVI
— Anuj Mishra (@anujmishra003) May 22, 2022
I’m sure that stint is making him a better batsman. Although there’s only a single test this year, I’m hoping he’ll score that big innings which is long overdue! #CheteshwarPujara #ENGvIND #INDvENG https://t.co/2MMf9RTieb
— Shantanu Smart (@smartshantanu) May 22, 2022
Good to see Pujji back. I just hope he plays 100 Test Matches.
— Cric Top Class (@crictopclass) May 22, 2022
Glad to see Pujara back after his brilliant performances in County cricket
— ???? (@CFC_Ska) May 22, 2022
He's Back ? pic.twitter.com/xlI6cU5tvd
— Naman | Dhoni ?? (@Mr_unknown23_) May 22, 2022
His form also came back in England..! Positive for upcoming series. ?
— ????? ???? (@rohit_pawar1) May 22, 2022
Cheteshwar pujara back to test squad with his hard work in domestic nd county circuits…
Well Deserved pic.twitter.com/iDnI2BAmCz
— Vaibhav (@vabby_16) May 22, 2022
Pujara 2:0 will be fascinating to watch
— keyur india (@BB15_fanclub) May 22, 2022
Most happiest person right now ?????? pic.twitter.com/ToEHyBAb5F
— Parveen (@imprvn257) May 22, 2022
