After Cheteshwar Pujara, another Test legend set to retire! Indian selectors apply force

India’s one of the successful Test batters, Cheteshwar Pujara, recently announced his retirement from all forms of the game. However, it was never part of Cheteshwar Pujara’s immediate plans, but the Indian selectors left him with no other option.

The Indian selectors made it very clear to Pujara that they are not going to consider him for Test selection ever again. With the door firmly shut, the former right-handed batter has decided not just to leave international cricket but also to step away from domestic cricket.

Cheteshwar Pujara forced into retirement

He just wanted to open the space for youngsters at the Saurashtra side chasing the India cap. Earlier, Saurashtra had hoped to see Pujara return to action after a verbal commitment, but two years of repeated rejection by the national selectors proved too heavy to carry on.

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The first big hint about his big decision came when Pujara declined to play the Duleep Trophy 2025 during India’s tour of England.

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And a few weeks after, he called time on his celebrated career. However, sources close to Pujara told Telecom Asia Sport that “retirement wasn’t on his radar.”

Karsan Ghavri calls out selectors’ treatment of Cheteshwar Pujara; BCCI shuts the door on Ajinkya Rahane

Meanwhile, Cheteshwar Pujara isn’t the only senior left out of plans by the Indian think tank. Ajinkya Rahane, Pujara’s longtime partner in India’s middle order, has also been quietly informed that his name will not be considered again for the Test selection.

The Telecom Asia Sport suggested that even in squad meetings, the Indian selectors cited Pujara and Rahane only as examples of players sidelined due to age.

However, the former Indian cricketer and Saurashtra coach Karsan Ghavri slammed the BCCI and the selectors for not giving a farewell game to Pujara. Karsan Ghavri stated, “It was very difficult for him to take this decision. A comeback was always going to be tough, but he certainly deserved a farewell. Anybody who plays over 100 tests should be given a farewell match.”

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Cheteshwar Pujara slams spin-heavy pitches, demands sporting wickets in India

Just a week after announcing his retirement, the 37-year-old has urged the BCCI to rethink the kind of pitches prepared for home Test matches. Pujara has suggested that India’s over-reliance on spin-friendly tracks has sometimes backfired badly.

He cited the 0-3 humiliation at home against New Zealand last year as the biggest example. That shocking defeat not only dented India’s reputation on home soil but also played a major role in India missing out on a third consecutive World Test Championship final.

The former Indian batter stressed that the BCCI should now look at how other Test nations prepare their tracks and ensure Indian pitches also offer a fair battle between batters and bowlers.

Pujara was quoted as saying by NDTV: “I think things are changing now. Most teams are playing on better pitches, and I hope India also continues to do so. I'm not saying the ball shouldn't turn—it should—but matches shouldn't finish in three or three and a half days. Ideally, we should be playing on good pitches where games last into the fourth or fifth day.”