Cheteshwar Pujara

Cheteshwar Arvind Pujara (born 25 January 1988) is a former Indian cricketer known for his incredible patience and ability to bat for long periods in Test cricket. He scored 7,195 runs in 103 Test matches with 19 centuries and was a crucial part of India's batting lineup during their dominant run in Test cricket from 2018 to 2022. Born in Rajkot, Gujarat, Pujara was groomed by his father Arvind Pujara, who was a first-class cricketer. He made his Test debut in 2010 and quickly established himself as a reliable middle-order batsman. He was particularly effective against quality pace bowling, with exceptional technique and concentration. Pujara's defining moments came during India's historic Test series wins in Australia (2018-19 and 2020-21). In the 2018-19 series, he scored 521 runs in four Tests, playing marathon innings that wore down the Australian bowling attack. His ability to occupy the crease for long periods — sometimes batting for entire days — made him India's "Wall 2.0" after Rahul Dravid. Despite his effectiveness in Test cricket, Pujara was not selected for limited-overs formats. He continued to perform in domestic cricket and county cricket in England. He was last seen representing India in the 2023 World Test Championship final against Australia.