Thousands of miles away from the razmataz and discussions around the ongoing 2023 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), another Indian star has been notching up centuries at will in his stunning preparation for the World Test Championship final next month. Cheteshwar Pujara, donning the captaincy hat for Sussex in the ongoing County Championship Division Two, scored his second consecutive century to ring warning bells for Australia, India's opponent in the WTC final.
Pujara made a magnificent return to the Sussex camp earlier last month where he scored 115 in the opening innings against Durham on April 6 before rampaging a knock of 151 against Gloucestershire on April 27. And then on Friday, lacing 19 boundaries and a solitary six, Pujara scored 136 off 189 for Sussex against Worcestershire.
En route to the knock, he scripted a fabulous record in first-class cricket. He became the sixth Indian batter to amass 19000 runs in the format, joining legendary cricketers like Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman and Wasim Jaffer.
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The century also helped him equal the great Vijay Hazare's feat of 60 first-class centuries as the two stand third together in the all-time list for India. Sachin and Gavaskar top the chart with 81 such knocks followed by Rahul Dravid's tally of 68.
{{/usCountry}}The century also helped him equal the great Vijay Hazare's feat of 60 first-class centuries as the two stand third together in the all-time list for India. Sachin and Gavaskar top the chart with 81 such knocks followed by Rahul Dravid's tally of 68.
{{/usCountry}}Durning the match, Pujara also shared a much-talked about partnership with Steve Smith, whom he will be up against in the WTC summit clash. The fourth-wicket partnership was of 61 runs with Smith scoring 30 off 57 before being dismissed by Josh Tongue, who had also picked up the wicket of Pujara in the innings.
Speaking ahead of the match, Pujara had admitted that it would mixed feelings when asked about sharing the dressing room with Smith. He had said: “We will be playing the WTC final, so it will be mixed feelings. On the field we always have good battles, but off the field we are good friends.”
In exactly a month's time, Pujara will be seen in action in the WTC final where India will be up against Australia at The Oval starting June 7.