Cheteshwar Pujara announces retirement: Revisit his 5 best Test knocks, feat. Gabba heroics, Bengaluru marathon

Cheteshwar Pujara was the backbone of arguably India's most successful Test team, and brought with it plenty of iconic performances. Here are five of the best.

Cheteshwar Pujara has called time on his playing career, one which saw him score over 7000 Test runs in 103 matches for the Indian national team. The man who did an admirable job of filling Rahul Dravid’s big shoes at number three, Pujara became the textbook example of grit and determination, a player who was at his best when he could grind down opposition bowlers over long stretches of time.

Cheteshwar Pujara retired from all forms of cricket, with 19 Test centuries to his name. (Getty Images)

He might not be known for expansive strokes or counter-attacking centuries quite like some of his teammates, but Pujara’s best evoked an era of Test batting that belongs to the past. India’s man for all seasons, here is a look back at five of his best knocks through his career.

123(246) & 71(204) vs Australia, Adelaide Oval 2018

The first match of that historic 2018/19 tour of Australia, which Pujara would leave as player of the series. A heroic one-man effort in the first innings, seeing his team stuttering at 19/3 and wickets falling regularly, but ensuring they pushed on to score 250. A second innings effort which saw him knuckle down and begin his arduous, summer-long task of wearing down the Australian bowlers with an impregnable defence. Earned India the win at the Adelaide Oval, and set them on the way towards a famous success.

206*(389) vs England, Ahmedabad 2012

After Rahul Dravid retired from Test cricket earlier in the year, the question was if Pujara could live up to those standards. Drafted in at the toughest batting position in Tests at 24, his response was emphatic: a maiden Test century vs the Kiwis in August was followed by a statement double-century in the first match of the series against England in November. Pujara finished that disappointing series as India’s top-scorer, on the back of this mammoth innings which would become the norm. An announcement that the transition was in safe hands.

56(211) vs Australia, Gabba 2021

Arguably India’s most famous Test win, and Pujara was the backbone of it. Wore dozens of searing bouncers on his body throughout the series, and somehow still had all the fight left in him – a knock which epitomised Pujara’s greatest strengths. Exhausted and frustrated the quality Aussie bowling attack with a marathon knock, allowing Rishabh Pant to work his magic at the other end and seal the historic 328-run chase.

153(270) vs South Africa, Johannesburg 2013

This was a big series for India and Pujara, following the retirement of the old guard and a first major tour overseas. Could Pujara hack it at number three overseas? The answer proved to be yes. The headlines were taken by Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, and Faf du Plessis in this famous Test match that saw the Proteas nearly chase down 458 before the match ended in a draw, the hosts an agonising 8 short. However, this only meant that every Indian run mattered, especially from Pujara’s bat in his first overseas century.

92(221) vs Australia, Bengaluru 2017

A third entry against the Aussies, for whom Pujara saved his best. A fine display of batting against spin on a spitting rank turner, the pressure India was under during this innings was immense. A heavy loss in the first Test and an 87-run first innings deficit with the pitch only becoming trickier, Pujara decisively won this battle for India on a pitch not made for such scores. India managed a 187-run lead thanks to Pujara, and it proved to be enough as they defended the total courtesy Ravichandran Ashwin.

As a bonus, Pujara would become the first Indian player to face 500+ deliveries in one Test innings in the following match in Ranchi, where he scored 202(525).