Cheteshwar Pujara, the star batter for Team India, finally reached the three-figure mark during the second innings of the first Test against Bangladesh on Saturday, ending a 1443-day wait for his 19th Test century. Pujara took 130 balls to reach his century, smashing 13 fours along the way.
Additionally, in the longest format of the game, this is the batter’s quickest century. Following Pujara’s century, India immediately declared their innings, giving Bangladesh a 513-run target to chase down in Chattogram. Virat Kohli, who was Pujara’s batting partner at the time, also raised his arms in celebration as he congratulated Pujara as he reached his century. A video of the same has done rounds on the internet.
Here is Virat Kohli’s video
First Ishan and now Pujara.
Kohli celebrating his teammates centuries before them and being happy for them like this is so wholesome. ? pic.twitter.com/kCaPuXKswP
— ` (@murdockflix) December 16, 2022
Having been dropped in February, before the team’s home series against Sri Lanka, Pujara has had a difficult year in international cricket. However, the 34-year-old right-handed batter put in a lot of effort during the County Championships in England and delivered reliable performances for Surrey, earning the Indian team another call-up for the fifth Test, which was postponed and took place in Edgbaston.
Alongside Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer, Pujara had stabilised the Indian innings in the first innings after a shaky beginning in which India had lost their first three wickets inside the first 20 overs. Pujara had also scored a crucial 90 in that innings.
A brilliant 110 runs off 152 deliveries were scored earlier in the same innings by Indian youngster Shubman Gill, who also smashed his first Test century. Mehidy Hasan Miraz dismissed Gill after he hit 10 fours and three sixes in his innings.
Bangladesh faces a difficult run chase against a top-notch Indian attack with two days left in the match. They will be looking to improve on their previous innings, in which Mushfiqur Rahim’s 28 was the highest individual score in the batting order. They currently have a score of 42 without losing any wickets, and they are still 471 runs away from the target.
