Cheteshwar Pujara, who is part of the commentary panel for the much-anticipated India-England Test series, took a playful jab at former England captain Michael Vaughan just before the first Test at Headingley. Known for his calm demeanor on the field, Pujara showed his cheekier side when he brought out a framed copy of Vaughan’s now-infamous 2020 tweet predicting a 4-0 whitewash of India in the Australia series — a prediction that aged rather poorly.

The incident unfolded in the pre-match studio setup where Vaughan was left chuckling and a touch red-faced as Pujara asked him to autograph the framed tweet. “Told ya… India are going to get hammered in the Test series… #AUSvIND #4-0,” the tweet read. Not only did India defy Vaughan’s forecast, they scripted one of their most iconic overseas wins by defeating Australia 2-1 in that series, despite missing several key players including Virat Kohli.

The moment drew hearty laughs from fellow commentators Sunil Gavaskar and Harsha Bhogle, who enjoyed watching the otherwise composed Pujara deliver the perfect, good-natured punchline.

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Now, as England host India in the five-Test Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, Vaughan has once again predicted an English series win. However, fans of the Indian team are hopeful history will repeat itself, and that the young squad led by Shubman Gill will once again defy the odds — just as they did under Ajinkya Rahane in Australia.

Pujara got this tweet framed and signed by Vaughan few minutes ago 😂😂 #ENGvIND https://t.co/VOCaGkusXV pic.twitter.com/ovLCw3Vvv0

— Rishabh Shukla (@rishabhshuklaP1) June 20, 2025

England do have the advantage of home conditions, but their bowling stocks are thinned by injuries to key pacers like Jofra Archer, Mark Wood, and Gus Atkinson. On the other hand, India, too, are missing stalwarts like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Mohammed Shami. The match saw debutant Sai Sudharsan and a returning Karun Nair slotted into the Indian XI.

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Pujara, meanwhile, finds himself on the sidelines despite the retirements of senior batters. He was expected by many to be recalled given his experience and past performances, but selectors chose to persist with a younger core. His last outing came in the 2023 World Test Championship final, where he managed just 41 runs in India’s defeat to Australia.

Still, Pujara’s off-field presence continues to influence the narrative — this time, through a witty reminder of the perils of premature predictions.