Continuing his stellar performance in the ongoing Ranji Trophy, Cheteshwar Pujara showcased his batting prowess with a remarkable century for Saurashtra against Manipur on Saturday (February 17). Notably, this game is being played in Rajkot, coinciding with the third Test between India and England.
Manipur, batting first, struggled to post a substantial total, managing only 145 runs in their first innings. Captain Langlonyamba Keishangbam (67) and opener Al Bashid Muhammed (51) contributed fifties, but the rest of the batting lineup faltered. Saurashtra’s Dharmendrasinh Jadeja and Chetan Sakariya were instrumental, with Jadeja claiming four wickets and Sakariya securing three.
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Saurashtra responded emphatically, declaring their innings at 529 for 6. Initially, they were in a precarious position at 35 for 2, but the ship was steadied by captain Arpit Vasavada (148) and Prerak Mankad (173), both notching centuries. Cheteshwar Pujara added to the team’s dominance by scoring an unbeaten century in just 102 balls, finishing with 108 runs off 105 deliveries, including 12 fours and a six.
HUNDRED FOR PUJARA FROM JUST 102 BALLS…!!!
63rd hundred in First Class cricket, 3rd in this Ranji Trophy season, the run machine for Saurashtra – What an absolute beast in longer format. 👌 pic.twitter.com/eizgUqSZHZ
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) February 17, 2024
Cheteshwar Pujara, a mainstay in the Indian Test team, hasn’t featured since the World Test Championship final against Australia in June 2023. Despite being out of the national side, Pujara remains determined to make a comeback, emphasizing his pride in representing India.
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“My proudest moment was to represent the Indian team. There is a pride when I walk out to bat for India, there is nothing bigger than that. That feeling that you can win games for your country, that you can make the difference – call it X-factor or a player who will fight for the country to win a game, there is no greater feeling than that on earth,” Cheteshwar Pujara recently conveyed to the Indian Express.
He further added, “Whenever the opportunity to play for India comes, I will be ready to play with that passion and pride that’s needed and with which I have always played. That will never change.”
