Cheteshwar Pujara, a stalwart of India’s Test batting lineup, has expressed his eagerness to return to the national side for the upcoming five-match Test series against England. Despite being out of favour since the 2023 World Test Championship (WTC) final, Pujara remains determined, emphasizing that his hunger for runs has only grown stronger.
The veteran batter, who last donned the Indian jersey in the WTC final against Australia—where India suffered a 209-run defeat—has been actively playing domestic cricket. He recently featured for Saurashtra in the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy quarterfinal against Gujarat, scoring 26 runs in his team’s first innings before they were bowled out for 216.
Speaking at the RevSportz Trailblazers 3.0 Conclave, Cheteshwar Pujara reinforced his commitment to earning a comeback. “I’m playing domestic cricket, and if given a chance, I’m ready to grab it with both hands. The hunger is even greater now. As you grow older, you need to work even harder,” he remarked.
ALSO READ:
India’s No. 3 batting slot became a significant concern during their 3-1 series defeat against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The team experimented with various options, including Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, and Devdutt Padikkal, but none managed to provide the stability Pujara once offered. His experience and resilience have kept his name in discussions as India looks to address their middle-order woes ahead of the England series.
Reflecting on his finest moments in Test cricket, Cheteshwar Pujara recalled India’s historic Test series win in Australia in 2018-19, where he was the leading run-scorer with 521 runs. He described the triumph as equivalent to winning a World Cup and reiterated Australia’s dominance in the longest format.
“The Hunger is Even More” Cheteshwar Pujara Express Desire to Make Test Comeback
Read: https://t.co/EERh7MkUmZ#Pujara #Cricketnews
— Times of Sports (@timesofsports) March 7, 2025
“Australia are the toughest when it comes to Test cricket. India never likes to lose to them. That’s why the 2018 series win felt like a World Cup victory—it was the biggest achievement of my Test career. And then, repeating history in 2020-21 was equally special,” Cheteshwar Pujara stated.
Looking ahead to India’s Test challenge in England, Cheteshwar Pujara expressed confidence in the team’s bowling firepower. He acknowledged the need for batters to put substantial runs on the board while respecting the conditions and opposition attack.
“We have a strong bowling lineup; the key is to back them up with runs. The batters must respect the bowling attack and conditions, but I strongly believe we have what it takes to succeed,” he asserted.
For the first time, India failed to qualify for the WTC final, marking the end of an era of dominance. However, with a new WTC cycle beginning with the England series, Pujara remains hopeful of both India’s resurgence and his own return to the squad.
