Live Score
Cricket Teams
Cricket Players
'The White-Walker of Indian cricket': India star's epic GOT reference as Kohli, Rohit, Dravid wish Pujara for 100th Test
Cheteshwar Pujara is set to become just the 13th Indian player to have played 100 Test matches.
Cheteshwar Pujara is set to become the 13th Indian player to make his 100th career appearance in Test cricket during the second Test against Australia starting on Friday. Pujara will be the second player from the current team to have played 100 Test matches after Virat Kohli, having made his debut against Australia in Bengaluru in 2010.
Pujara's India teammates and coaching staff congratulated him on the achievement. “It is a big achievement, not many people achieve what you have for your country. Big congratulations on that,” said captain Rohit Sharma in a video for BCCI.tv. "It has taken a lot I know from you, from your body, to get here but you've done really well. We are very proud of you. Like it is the case for any sportsperson, there have been a lot of ups and downs but you have managed to come through which is a good thing.
“I have watched you from close quarters right from our U19 days. A lot of fun playing with you and now it is going to be a different challenge for you from here on. You will have to push your body a little bit but you have the mind and courage to do it,” he said.
Pujara is often seen as the heir to former captain Rahul Dravid as India's defensive “Wall” in the Test team. Dravid, who is now head coach of the team, said that he had first seen Pujara while playing for Karnataka in a Ranji Trophy match. “Puji the first time that I had seen you or played against you was in a Ranji Trophy game where you scored runs and beat Karnataka. That's become a recurring theme I think. It has been a pleasure to watch you evolve over the last 10 years. Everyone speaks about your hard work, determination and courage. To be able to play for this long requires a lot of stubbornness, single-minded determination. You have gone through that journey with a smile, always putting the team first. I think that is something you can be very proud of you. All the best, I hope you enjoy the five days,” he said.
Kohli stated that his favourite Pujara innings was the century that the 35-year-old scored against England in Southampton. Pujara had scored 132 in 257 balls while the next best score was Kohli's 46 in the Indian first innings. “This is a very special day for a very special guy. Puji congratulations on your 100th Test. You have had a long journey, full of hard work, persistence, grit, comebacks. That is what you are known for. I wish you all the best, enjoy the moment. It is a big occasion not just for you but for your family, the people who have supported you throughout the journey. It is a big achievement to have played for India for so long,” said Kohli.
“My favourite knock will always be the hundred you got in Southampton in 2018. All the other batters had gotten out, you stuck in there and got 120 or 130 odd runs. The way you played will always stay in my memory. Among all your great knocks that is the top of the pile. Hopefully in your 100th Test you get a big one for us.”
Ravichandran Ashwin reiterated that Pujara is the ‘White Walker’ of the Indian team, in the reference to the monsters featured in the television series ‘Game of Thrones’. "Congratulations to the 'White Walker' of Indian cricket. He has just been walking there at the same pace, defending bowlers out. Phenomenal achievement. I am not sure how many of the next generation of players will go on to play 100 Tests, it is a massive achievement.
“Everybody remembers the knocks in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy but the two knocks that stand out for me are the one at Wanderers, where he got his first run after the 50th ball. Over a period of time I have seen a lot of people talk about the pace at which he scores but very rarely have we given him credit for hundreds that batters coming later in the order score because blunts the attacks. That is one of those occassions. There have been several occassions where he has made 19, 20 or some fifties and has made the job of batters coming later easier,” said Ashwin.
