Cheteshwar Pujara's historic 18th first-class double ton puts selectors on notice for BGT 2024-25

India National Cricket Team batter Cheteshwar Pujara has sent a message to selectors ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. The premier batter has proved his worth with the bat in the ongoing Ranji Trophy 2024-25 for the Saurashtra.

Cheteshwar Pujara, who has been kept on the sidelines of the India National Cricket Team, has been grinding hard in the domestic circuit and is making sure that he keeps making runs and giving selectors a headache ahead of the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.

Cheteshwar Pujara slams a blistering double ton in Ranji Trophy

In the ongoing game between Saurashtra and Chattisgarh in Rajkot in the Ranji Trophy 2024-25, Cheteshwar Pujara has been nothing short of exceptional. The batter has oozed his class yet again and has made sure that he continues his golden touch in the red-ball cricket.

Pujara batted with authority and slammed his 25th Ranji Trophy hundred. He brought up the ton in 197 balls as Saurashtra went past Chattisgarh’s 578/7d first-innings total. This was his 66th First-Class hundred, taking him past Brian Lara’s tally in the format.

Cheteshwar Pujara, however, didn't stop there as he made sure that he converted his century into a double ton. The right-hander slammed his 18th first-class double hundred in 348 balls and has put his team in the dominating position in the ongoing game of the Ranji Trophy 2024-25.

Cheteshwar Pujara shatters multiple records after his double-ton

Pujara broke quite a few records after his double century. He now is only behind Don Bradman (37), Wally Hammond (36), and Patsy Hendren (22) in terms of the batters with the most First Class double centuries. He also has the joint most double centuries in the Ranji Trophy, equalling Paras Dogra.

Most First Class double hundreds

37 – Don Bradman

36 – Wally Hammond

22 – Patsy Hendren

18 – Pujara

Most Ranji Trophy double hundreds

9 – Pujara

9 – Paras Dogra

7 – Abhinav Mukund

7 – Ajay Sharma

Pujara also went past 21,000 FC runs during his innings in the ongoing game. He is now the fourth-highest run-getter and century-maker in first-class cricket among Indians, only behind Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar, and Rahul Dravid.

Most First Class hundreds (Indians)

81 – Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar

68 – Rahul Dravid

66 – Pujara

Most First Class runs (Indians)

25834 – Sunil Gavaskar

25396 – Sachin Tendulkar

23784 – Rahul Dravid

21115* – Pujara

Cheteshwar Pujara has been in red-hot form in red-ball cricket in 2024

Pujara, who slammed 829 runs in the previous Ranji Trophy season, averaging 69.08 across eight matches, has been in the terrific touch in the red-ball cricket in 2024. He has slammed 6 tons across 16 first-class matches with Saurashtra and Sussex in the County Championship.

With the Australia series around the corner, it remains to be seen if gets picked in the Indian team or not.

He was the main reason behind India winning the last two Test series in Australia. He was Player of the Series in India's historic 2018/19 series win in Australia, where he scored 521 runs in four Tests at 74.42. In the next series, he was the rock for the Indian team in batting. He last played for India in the final of the ICC World Test Championship 2023.