Cheteshwar Pujara announces international cricket comeback

Out-of-favor Indian cricketer Cheteshwar Pujara has expressed his desire to return to the Test squad for the upcoming five-match series against England. The veteran batter said that he still has the hunger for runs, adding that he can seize any opportunity that comes his way in the national cricket team.

Pujara last played a Test match in the 2023 World Test Championship final against Australia, where India lost by 209 runs. He was last seen in action for Saurashtra in the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy quarterfinal against Gujarat. He scored 26 runs in his team's first innings, as Saurashtra were bowled out for 216.

I'm Ready to Grab It with Both Hands - Cheteshwar Pujara

Cheteshwar Pujara is optimistic about making a comeback to the Indian Test squad for the upcoming five-match series against England in June. Speaking at the RevSportz Trailblazers 3.0 Conclave, the veteran batter also said that he needs to work even harder as an experienced player.

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“I'm playing domestic cricket. If given a chance, I'm ready to grab it with both hands. The hunger is even more. When you are older, you need to work even harder,” he said at the Tata Steel Trailblazers 3.0 conclave in Kolkata.

India had issues with the No. 3 batting position during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, where they suffered a 3-1 series defeat.

The team experimented with multiple batters, including Devdutt Padikkal, Shubman Gill, and KL Rahul, but none managed to deliver consistent performances. Pujara’s name came up in discussions, given his decade-long reliability in the crucial batting spot.

Australia Are the Toughest When It Comes to Test Cricket - Cheteshwar Pujara

Cheteshwar Pujara reminisced about India's historic Test series win in Australia during the 2018-19 season, where he played a crucial role by scoring 521 runs. He described Australia as the toughest team to beat in Test cricket and compared the 2018 triumph to winning a World Cup.

"Australia are the toughest when it comes to Test cricket. India never like to lose to Australia. That's why 2018 was like winning the World Cup. It was the biggest achievement of my Test career. And also, 2020-21, when we repeated history," Pujara remarked.

I Won't Say That We Don't Have a Chance - Cheteshwar Pujara

Pujara is confident in India's chances in the upcoming Test series in England. He highlighted the team's strong bowling attack. Pujara emphasized that the batters need to put enough runs on the board while respecting the opposition's bowling in challenging conditions.

"We have the bowling. We need to put runs on the board. And we have the players to do that. We have to respect the bowling and the conditions. I won't say that we don't have a chance," he stated.

For the first time, India failed to qualify for the World Test Championship (WTC) final. They will kick off their new WTC cycle with a five-match Test series against England.

Pujara made his Test debut for India against Australia in 2010. He has played 103 matches and scored 7,195 runs at an average of 43.60, including 19 centuries and 35 half-centuries. Pujara has featured in 16 Tests in England, scoring 870 runs at an average of 29, with five fifties and a lone century.

Also read: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli's retirement announced after Champions Trophy 2025