Pujara hits 201* to help Sussex draw game vs Derbyshire

Pujara, 34, who with Ajinkya Rahane was left out for the two-Test home series against Sri Lanka before IPL, will hope he can come up with a string of good scores with Sussex.

Cheteshwar Pujara hit an unbeaten 201 to help Sussex recover from a first innings batting slump to draw their four-day County Championship Division 2 game at Derbyshire on Sunday. The discarded India Test No 3, who faced a visa delay before reaching for his County stint, was out for six in the first innings as Sussex were 174 all out in reply to Derby’s 505/8 declared.

Cheteshwar Pujara (Sussex)

However, young Sussex skipper Tom Haines struck 243 (491b, 654 min, 22x4) as the opener led the fightback on the final day with an almost 11-hour knock. Pujara joined him on the score of 145/2 and they raised a 351-run third wicket partnership. Haines was eventually caught, but the Indian stalwart remained 201* (387b, 467min, 23x4) with Sussex 513/3 in their second innings when the match ended in a draw at the Incora County Ground in Derbyshire.

Pujara, who has played 95 Tests, has not scored a Test century since January, 2019. Under pressure going into the South Africa tour, he was dropped after scores of 0, 16, 3, 53, 43 and 9 in the series which India lost 1-2. Pujara, 34, who with Ajinkya Rahane was left out for the two-Test home series against Sri Lanka before IPL, will hope he can come up with a string of good scores with Sussex and present a strong case for recall for the one-off Test in England this summer, the last game of the 2021 series which India lead 2-1.