“A real warrior” - Ravi Shastri heaps praise on Cheteshwar Pujara

Former Indian head coach and commentator Ravi Shastri took to his official X handle to heap praises on the former India No.3 Test batter Cheteshwar Pujara, who announced his retirement from all formats of Indian cricket on Sunday, August 24.

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Pujara, who emerged as the wall of Indian cricket after the retirement of Rahul Dravid from the longest format of the game, amassed 7195 runs from 103 Tests at an average of 43.6 with 19 centuries and 35 half-centuries.

“A real warrior. He was instrumental in my stint as coach for India being the No 1 side for five years on the trot and the two back-to-back series wins in Australia where he was simply brilliant. Well done Puji,” Ravi Shastri posted on X.

https://x.com/RaviShastriOfc/status/1959572066434519211

Pujara had a lot of memorable moments with the willow against Australia at home and Down Under in the longest format of the game, propelling India to victories in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

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While he made his Test debut against Australia at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru in 2010, he went on to play famous knocks in India’s famous Border-Gavaskar Trophy wins in 2018 and 2021.

Interestingly, Pujara’s last Test also came against Australia at The Oval in the World Test Championship 2023 Final in June 2023.

“As a little boy from the small town of Rajkot, along with my parents, I set out to aim for the stars; and dreamt to be a part of the Indian cricket team. Little did I know then that this game would give me so much: invaluable opportunities, experiences, purpose, love, and above all a chance to represent my state and this great nation,” Pujara wrote on his official social platforms. 

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“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,” he wrote.

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