Cheteshwar Pujara's Nottinghamshire Return Confirmed
Nottinghamshire, on Wednesday, confirmed that Indian batting star Cheteshwar Pujara will re-join the team for the last four league-stage fixtures as the county outfit looks to seal its immediate return to the top flight following last season’s relegation. The right-handed batsman will be available for the home and away fixtures against Northamptonshire, as well as the matches against Worcestershire and Sussex, the club stated in its release.
BREAKING…Cheteshwar Pujara returns for Nottinghamshire's final four @CountyChamp matches: https://t.co/6EYP9tL7eJ #rajkotrunmachine pic.twitter.com/lM8Wx7Qu0h
— Nottinghamshire CCC (@TrentBridge) August 23, 2017
After the highly successful 2016-17 home season where he was India’s highest run-scorer with 1316 runs, Pujara signed for Nottinghamshire earlier this year in May and made an immediate impact, scoring 223 runs in four matches including a match-winning hundred against Gloucestershire.
He continued his form in the recently-concluded three Test series against Sri Lanka too, slamming 309 runs at an average of over 77 with the help of two centuries and will look to continue the same form in England.
Nottinghamshire coach Peter Moores welcomed Pujara’s return and said the addition will be a huge boost.
“The great thing is that he has already been in the squad this season and he fitted in so well both on and off the field.”
“He is a fantastic player, and since he has been away, he has had a great time of it in the Test matches for India. So we are getting a guy who is coming back in form, and for the team spirit, Pudji coming back in is a huge boost for everybody.
“We have got two really big home games against Northants and Worcester because it is a chance for us to put pressure on two sides that are up there with us,” Moores added. “Runs on the board at Trent Bridge is always a big influence and having a player of Test-match
Nottinghamshire are currently top of the table in Division Two, and have four games left. Meanwhile, Pujara is likely to face his Indian teammate Ravichandran Ashwin during the clash against Worcestershire on September 5. Worcestershire recently announced the signing of the India off-spinner.
