Ranji Trophy 2018-19: Cheteshwar Pujara Retires Hurt With Stiff Neck
Updated - 02 Nov 2018, 02:14 PM
India star Cheteshwar Pujara, on Thursday, had to retire hurt midway through his innings with a stiff neck on the first day of the Saurashtra’s Ranji Trophy opener against Chhattisgarh.
The right-handed batsman was batting on 30 when he decided to leave the field after consultation with the team physio. But it looks like the injury is not a serious one as Saurashtra’s coach Shitanshu Kotak confirmed Pujara would bat on Friday if needed.
“He will be ready to bat on Friday, if required,” Kotak was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo.
The Test specialist has opted to play a couple of Ranji Trophy matches before flying to Australia for a four-match series starting December 6. India will be desperately hoping for a good show from Pujara as they eye their first Test series win Down Under. The Saurashtra star was one of India’s most impressive batsmen during the England tour.
Read More – The Game in Vigaz Was Important For Me – Kuldeep Yadav
After warming the bench for the first Test, he was included in the playing eleven and he went on to justify the decision. Pujara scored his first century in England to finish the series with 278 runs from 8 innings.
Meanwhile, Pujara will also be keen to do well in Australia after flopping on the last tour in 2014. He played three matches and managed just 201 runs including only one fifty.
India will play three T20Is, four Tests and three ODIs in Australia. The series will start off with the shortest format, with the first T20I to be played at The Gabba on November 21, 2018.
Must Read – Aaron Finch Suffers Injury Scare Ahead of 1st ODI
After the three-match T20I series, the two teams will compete in a four-Test series.
Adelaide opens the Test summer against India on December 6 in a blockbuster Border-Gavaskar Trophy series. The Perth Stadium will host its first Test match when India visit for the second Border-Gavaskar match, before the series moves back to Melbourne and Sydney for the traditional Boxing Day and New Year’s games respectively.
