Not Virat Kohli-Babar Azam!! Cheteshwar Pujara picks this Pakistan ai better spin player than him

Out-of-favor Team India batter Cheteshwar Pujara has named the best player of spin in Test cricket across all international teams. The 37-year-old picked former Pakistan captain Younis Khan as a better player of spin than himself, ahead of stars like Virat Kohli, Joe Root, Kane Williamson, and Steve Smith.

Cheteshwar Pujara, who last played a Test in June 2023, has featured in 103 matches during his career. He has been absent from the national side for two years. Notably, he was not included in India’s Test squad for the upcoming tour of England despite the retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.

Virat Kohli Is a Good Player of Spin - Cheteshwar Pujara

In a video posted by ESPNcricinfo on X (formerly known as Twitter), Pujara was asked to remain silent until he hears the name of a better player of spin in Test cricket than himself.

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The game began with several notable cricketers being named, including Mushfiqur Rahim, Dean Elgar, Jonny Bairstow, and Dhananjaya de Silva. He also dismissed names like David Warner, Ajinkya Rahane, Tom Latham, Azhar Ali, Alastair Cook, Marnus Labuschagne, and Ross Taylor.

Pujara said "maybe" when Joe Root’s name was mentioned in the video. He didn’t respond to Rohit Sharma’s name but paused for a couple of seconds when Virat Kohli was named.

"I would say he's at par. In terms of stats, I think his numbers suggest that he's a good player of spin," Pujara said.

It’s Very Hard to Compare Myself When It Comes to Spin - Cheteshwar Pujara

Cheteshwar Pujara stated that Steve Smith and Kane Williamson have delivered impressive performances against India. He admitted that it was difficult to compare his own ability against spin.

"I have to say something about Steve Smith and Kane Williamson because they have scored runs against India and the numbers are good. But I don't know. I mean, it's very hard to compare myself when it comes to spin, but they are quality players," Pujara stated.

When the host mentioned Younis Khan, Pujara said, "I would have to say that he's better than me."

Here is the video of Pujara’s responses in the challenge.

Best player of spin in Test cricket - who comes to mind first? pic.twitter.com/sxpaqVZ088

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) June 18, 2025

Cheteshwar Pujara Left Out of India’s Test Squad for England Tour

Cheteshwar Pujara has been excluded from India’s Test squad for the upcoming tour of England. Many expected the veteran to be recalled, considering his experience and the current transition in the Indian batting line-up.

Pujara last played for India in the 2023 World Test Championship final against Australia at The Oval, where he managed just 41 runs across both innings. India lost that match by 209 runs.

The 37-year-old has been a key player in India’s Test setup for over a decade, since his debut in 2010 against Australia. He has scored 7,195 runs in 103 Tests at an average of 43.60, including 19 centuries and 35 half-centuries.

Also read: BCCI takes massive action on Ajit Agarkar's future after Virat-Rohit's alleged 'FORCED' retirements