Cheteshwar Pujara makes colossal revelation on Gautam Gambhir's phone call for ENG Tests

Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir had reportedly pushed for Cheteshwar Pujara's inclusion in the squad for the Australia tour, but the selection committee rejected the idea. Pujara confirmed that he hadn’t received any communication from Gambhir regarding his return to the Indian team.

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma announced their retirement from Test cricket ahead of the England tour. The Indian team will play the five-match Test series. Questions have been raised about whether the selectors should have considered Cheteshwar Pujara or Ajinkya Rahane as a stop-gap arrangement.

No, Not Yet - Cheteshwar Pujara on Gautam Gambhir’s Call

In a recent interview, Cheteshwar Pujara was asked whether Gautam Gambhir had contacted him about the upcoming England tour. Pujara said that he had not received any call or communication from Gambhir before the team’s selection meeting.

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"No, not yet," Pujara told Lallantop when he was asked, "Have you received a phone call from Gambhir yet?"

India will tour England in June for a five-match Test series in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 cycle. Pujara last played a Test in the 2023 WTC final against Australia but has not been part of the team since then.

I Don’t Know If They Will Take Me or Not - Cheteshwar Pujara

The veteran batter said that he is willing to return to the Indian team as a top-order batsman if given the opportunity. He said that it would be an honor to represent the country again. Pujara added that he is ready and eager to contribute.

"I am ready. I don't know if they will take me or not. But if I get a chance, yes, it will be an honour to represent the country again. As a cricketer, you always feel that as long as you are fit, as long as you are contributing, and if I have a good performance in domestic cricket, and I am preparing well, if I get a chance, yes, I will be more than happy to be part of the team," Pujara said.

I Might Be Able to Contribute for the Team - Cheteshwar Pujara

When asked about rumors that Gautam Gambhir wanted him included for the Australia tour, Cheteshwar Pujara avoided commenting on the selection process. Pujara said that he could have contributed to the team if given the opportunity.

"Look, I can't say much about the selection of the team. But I had a lot of hope that if I get a chance in Australia, I would be able to contribute for the team. Because the way my track record is on Australian soil, I had a confidence that if I get a chance there, I might be able to contribute for the team," Pujara stated.

Pujara enjoyed success in Australia during India’s tours in 2018-19 and 2010-21, scoring 521 and 271 runs, respectively. However, his record in England is modest, with 806 runs at an average of 31 across 14 Test matches.

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