Cheteshwar Pujara Retirement: Team India's head coach Gautam Gambhir had heaped praises on Cheteshwar Pujara after the senior India batter retired from all kinds of cricket on Sunday. Gambhir praised Pujara for his grit and match-winning abilities, as this is what defined his long, illustrious Test career.

Pujara, who was the Indian team's one of the most dependable red-ball batters in the Indian team, had scored 7195 runs after playing in 103 Test matches at an average of 43.60, in which he had smashed 19 hundreds and 35 half-centuries. He was at his absolute best during the 2018-19 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, where he had scored 521 runs after playing in seven innings and helped the Men in Blue win their first Test series in Australia, and was also adjudged the Player of the Series award.

Gambhir took to his official Instagram account and wrote the caption of the story as, “He stood tall when the storm raged, he fought when hope was fading. Congratulations, Pujji.”

Also Read:  AUS vs SA 3rd ODI: Travis Head, Cameron Green's Heroics Guide Australia To 276-Run Win Against South Africa

whatsapp_image_2025-08-24_at_13.45.35

‘Impossible to put into words’

Pujara had announced his retirement from all kinds of sport and reckoned that it was quite the privilege to represent the Indian team, and also expressed his gratitude.

"Wearing the Indian jersey, singing the anthem, and trying my best each time I stepped on the field - it's impossible to put into words what it truly meant. But as they say, all good things must come to an end, and with immense gratitude, I have decided to retire from all forms of Indian cricket. Thank you for all the love and support,” Pujara had written on his official social media account.

Pujara made his debut in the longest format against Australia way back in 2010. Although he could score just four runs during the first innings, he did prove his worth by scoring a gritty knock of 72 runs in the second. After 13 years, he played his last Test match against the same opponent during the 2023 WTC summit clash.

Also Read:  IND-W A vs AUS-W A 1st Unofficial Test: Raghvi Bist's Double Half-Centuries Go In Vain As Australia A Defeat India A By Six Wickets

He retired as the country's second-highest run-getter while batting at the No.3 position in the longest format, as he had scored 6488 runs after playing in 94 matches, where he had hit 18 centuries and 32 fifties. Rahul Dravid is the only other batter who has scored 10,381 runs after playing in 133 Test matches and has smashed 27 hundreds, and is ahead of Pujara.

Pujara had also smashed the second-highest double tons as an Indian batter at the No.3 position, whereas Dravid has topped this list as well with five double tons at this position.