• Source:JND
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Cheteshwar Pujara brought an end to his 13-year-long career as he announced his retirement from international cricket at the age of 37 on Sunday.

He took to his social media accounts to make the announcement via an emotional post. Having represented India in 103 Tests, Pujara ended his career with 7195 runs under his belt at a staggering average of 43.60 on the back of 19 fifties and 35 fifties.

Pujara remained the backbone of India's top order in Tests for over a decade. The monumental achievement of his career came during the Australia tours in 2018-19 and 2020-21. The right-handed batter played a key role in helping India clinch their first-ever Test series win on Australian soil and repeating the same on the very next trip as well.

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He was adjudged the Player of the Series when India pocketed the four-match tour 2-1 under Virat Kohli’s leadership in 2019. Two years later, when the visitors looked to defend the trophy, Pujara's grit and determination frustrated the Aussies once again.

Following his retirement, Pujara opened up on how he dealt with blows on his body while batting, especially in the 2021 tour of Australia.

"In moments like these, it is important to look at the bigger picture. You are batting for your team, billions are looking up to you and wanting and praying for the team to do well with the series on the line. When you get hit on the body, you do get shattered sometimes, but then you have to keep your calm. You have to trust yourself, the game and the ability," Pujara was quoted by The Indian Express as saying.

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"Getting hit once or twice is fine, but when it hits repeatedly on the same spot, the pain becomes unbearable. That’s where the mental toughness comes in. That’s when your dedication and love for the country come in. I believe in God, and he gives me strength. In tough times, you need that spiritual power, which is something beyond human understanding. I get strength that I cannot describe, but I get strength," he further added.

Out of several milestones he achieved during his impressive career, Pujara is the second-fastest Indian to score 1000 Test runs. On the back of his memorable double century against Australia in 2017, Pujara bagged his career-best No. 2 in the ICC Test batting rankings. He also became the 11th Indian to cross 6000 runs in Test cricket.