The Indian skipper, Virat Kohli was the front-runner while wishing the Indian Test specialist, Cheteshwar Pujara on his 33rd birthday and wished him “more hours at the crease”. The Gujarat-born star played a pivotal in India’s historic 2-1 triumph in the recently-concluded four-match Test series in Australia. Cheteshwar Pujara played as many as 928 balls and was India’s second-highest run-getter in the Border-Gavaskar trophy after Rishabh Pant.
Pujara played massive roles in the third and fourth Tests of the series, receiving several blows on his body. Fans and teammates have lined up to wish India’s ‘New Wall’ on his birthday. Tweeting about the same, Virat Kohli, “Happy birthday pujji @cheteshwar1. Wish you good health, happiness, and more hours at the crease. Have a great year ahead.”
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Even BCCI posted the Test batting stats, they tweeted, “He takes body blows. Grinds it out in the middle. Braves it all & stands tall.”
Happy birthday pujji @cheteshwar1. Wish you good health, happiness and more hours at the crease 😃. Have a great year ahead.
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) January 25, 2021
He takes body blows
Grinds it out in the middle
Braves it all & stands tall81 Tests 🏏
6111 runs 👌
13572 balls faced 👏
18 hundreds 👍Here's wishing #TeamIndia's Mr. Dependable @cheteshwar1 a very happy birthday 🎂
Let's relive one of his fine tons against Sri Lanka 🎥👇
— BCCI (@BCCI) January 25, 2021
Former Indian fast bowler, RP Singh saluted Pujara in his birthday wish, pointing to the fact that the batting star was the “only ‘common factor’ in back to back series wins in Australia”.
The only 'common factor' in back to back series wins in Australia! #HappyBirthdayPujara You have proved to the new generation that not only quality of runs but spending quality time at crease is as important. Have a great year ahead 🎉 #CheteshwarPujara @cheteshwar1 pic.twitter.com/dvQU08hdFc
— R P Singh रुद्र प्रताप सिंह (@rpsingh) January 25, 2021
Other cricketers and fans too came in large numbers to extend their birthday greetings for Pujara.
Happy birthday @cheteshwar1! They don't make them like you anymore. #HappyBirthdayPujara pic.twitter.com/DfUMVwWRNR
— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) January 25, 2021
Happy birthday Pujji @cheteshwar1
Have a great year ahead! 🤗— Hanuma vihari (@Hanumavihari) January 25, 2021
Happy birthday Cheteshwar Pujara ❤
One of the greatest test player in modern-day test cricket ❤️
Modern Day Wall of Indian Cricket @cheteshwar1 #CheteshwarPujara pic.twitter.com/nEFZZOCuz8
— ` (@rahulmsd_91) January 25, 2021
#BirthdayWishes to Cheteshwar Pujara. Your unwavering dedication, #patience & level of concentration are benchmarks for cricketers around the world. Wish you all the very best for the future & I hope we keep seeing your delightful batting. #CheteshwarPujara @cheteshwar1 @BCCI pic.twitter.com/2eH9Tq6Iwf
— Parimal Nathwani (@mpparimal) January 25, 2021
Deliberately taking body blows when a bowler is bowling at 145+ kmph on a bouncy track is a next level stuff 🔥🔥.
You have our respect @cheteshwar1 🙌🖖… happy birthday!!#CheteshwarPujara pic.twitter.com/lIrppNuQNO
— Mad Lawyer🇮🇳 (@chaganthakare) January 25, 2021
Synonym of Patience and Resilience = Cheteshwar Pujara 🔥
The new wall of Indian Test Cricket Team🙌🏻#HappyBirthdayPujara @cheteshwar1 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/KgAKJOCzwm— Ayush Gangwar (@mr_gangwar_) January 25, 2021
While Pujara failed to hit a century in Australia, but he managed to churn out some match-winning knocks when India needed it most to grind down the Australian bowlers. He played the perfect role of anchor to support attacking batsmen like Rishabh Pant as India breached Australia’s fortress Gabba to secure a 2-1 series win.
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No visiting team in the last 32 years had ever won at the Gabba before India came out all guns blazing. Ravaged by injuries, the Indian team handed multiple debuts, and few gave the inexperienced outfit to do anything of note.
Led brilliantly by Ajinkya Rahane, and supported by the ever-present Pujara, India’s youngsters stood tall pulled of one of the biggest wins in Test history to leave the hosts shell-shocked.
