Cheteshwar Pujara has been one of the mainstays of the Indian Test team in recent times as the subcontinent outfit have risen to the top of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Test rankings.
As the star of the Indian batting line up completes 50 Tests against Sri Lanka next week, we look at the three key moments so far in the right-handed batsman’s illustrious career.
Pujara’s comeback Test against New Zealand
After making a somewhat successful Test debut against Australia at Bangalore in 2010, Pujara was dropped from the squad after a poor display in India’s tour to South Africa during the latter half of the same year.
The Rajkot-born batsman could only muster 31 runs during his three innings against the Proteas and would not be picked in the squad again until August 2012 when New Zealand visited India.
Pujara went on to top score for the Indians with a majestic 159 in the first Test at Hyderabad as the Kiwis suffered an innings defeat. This would be the innings which could kick-start Pujara’s Test resurgence.
Pujara proves his overseas credentials in South Africa
Having lost his place in the Indian side once already after a disastrous showing in South Africa during 2010-11, Pujara was keen to make amends during his next visit with the team for the 2013 tour.
In the first Test at Johannesburg, the orthodox right-handed batsman scored a gritty 153 runs in the second innings as India drew the match.
He would play another fine innings of 70 in the second Test at Durban to finish the series with 280 runs at an average of 70. This also made Pujara the top scorer of the series, and in the process consolidating his place in the Indian batting line up.
Pujara is congratulated by Kohli after his innings of 153.
Pujara returns to form as India win historic Sri Lanka series
After becoming a mainstay in the Indian middle order, the 29-year-old had largely disappointing tours of England and Australia in 2014 where he failed to convert the numerous starts he achieved.
During India’s last tour of Sri Lanka in 2015, the Saurashtra batsman was not picked in the playing 11 for the first two Tests. An injury to Murali Vijay meant Pujara was asked to open the innings for the first time in the deciding Test at Colombo with the series locked at 1-1.
Pujara top scored with an unbeaten 145 as India posted 312 runs in their first innings. The visitors would then go on to win the low scoring game by 117 runs and clinch a Test series in Sri Lanka for the first time in over 22 years.
Pujara celebrates his match-winning century in the deciding Test.