India’s contemporary Test warrior Cheteshwar Pujara declared his retirement from all Indian cricket, ending a career that had lasted more than a decade and 103 Tests. With his grit, staying power, and capacity to bat long hours, Pujara was usually India’s wall in tight corners. Having scored 7,195 runs, 19 centuries, and who knows how many marathon resistance shows at the wickets, his innings were never showy but often invaluable.
As India says goodbye to one of their strongest No. 3 batsmen, here are the top five knocks that defined Pujara’s Test career.
1. 153 against South Africa, Johannesburg, 2013
When India visited South Africa in late 2013, they encountered a hostile pace battery of Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, and Vernon Philander on batting-friendly tracks. In Johannesburg, both class and character were displayed by Pujara as he compiled a wonderful 153 in the second innings. He stayed at the crease for almost six hours, stabilizing India’s innings in a match that turned out to be an edge-of-the-seat draw. This inning cemented his image as a player who can succeed abroad against even the strongest bowling attacks.
2. 202 vs Australia, Ranchi, 2017
Pujara played the longest Indian innings in balls faced in the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at Ranchi. He made 202 from 525 deliveries in 672 minutes at the wicket, a marathon effort that stumped the Australian bowlers. Batting through all five days of the match, Pujara’s double hundred not only rescued India from a vulnerable situation but also showcased his exceptional concentration and endurance. This was the height of his skill at wearing down bowlers into submission.
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3. 132 v England, Southampton, 2018
Facing an unfavorable wicket in Southampton, where seam and swing disturbed most batsmen, Pujara played one of his best abroad innings. With wickets tumbling at the other end, he carried his bat to score an unbeaten 132, showcasing his mastery of patience and technique. Virat Kohli’s 46 was the next-best score in India’s innings, underlining how much Pujara’s vigil mattered. Although India lost the Test, this innings was hailed as a lone battle of grit in English conditions.
4. 123 vs Australia, Adelaide, 2018
5. 56 against Australia, Brisbane, 2021
Statistically humble, but contextually historic Pujara’s 56 from 211 deliveries at the Gabba during the 2020-21 series finale remains one of his most selfless innings. Withstanding constant short-pitched bowling from Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc, Pujara took several body blows but never succumbed. His defiance weakened the bowlers so much that it paved the way for Rishabh Pant to play the match-winning innings. India’s Brisbane series-clinching win will always be remembered, so will Pujara’s bravery in withstanding pain for the team’s benefit.
The Legacy
Through these innings, there is a thread that runs patience, perseverance, and unselfishness. Cheteshwar Pujara was not perhaps the most flashy batsman of his age group, but he was most certainly one of the most crucial. His finest innings were not about individual achievements, but about furthering the cause of the team, frequently in alien conditions and against top-class bowling combinations.
As Pujara bids goodbye to Indian cricket, his legacy is not in the runs he scored but in the qualities he represented discipline, determination, and the culture of putting the team ahead of self. In an era where cricket is more and more controlled by fast formats, Pujara remained a reminder of Test cricket’s eternal values.
India will have a hard time finding another run-scorer as prolific as Pujara, but they’ll struggle more to find another batter who will take a beating to the body, want to bat on all five days of a Test and fight session after session. For now, Cheteshwar Pujara’s top five knocks remain a testament to a career forged out of grit and glory.
