Having bid adieu to his stellar Test career a content material man, Indian Test batting nice Cheteshwar Pujara would not thoughts a coaching stint or a task on the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence within the subsequent stage of his cricketing journey.
Speaking to PTI days after asserting his retirement from all types of cricket, Pujara not solely gave a sneak peek into his future plans but in addition confused on the significance of old-fashioned Test match batting.
He additionally mirrored on his wonderful 103-Test career, that yielded over 7,000 runs, his collection successful performances in Australia, and the contributions of his father and late mom.
“I’ve enjoyed the broadcasting work for sure. So, I’ll definitely continue doing that. When it comes to coaching or any work at the NCA (Centre of Excellence), I’ll be open to it,” Pujara mentioned.
“I haven’t genuinely thought about it. Whenever there is any opportunity which arises, I’ll try and take a call then…I’ve mentioned this earlier also that I would like to stay attached to the game.
“So, in no matter method I can contribute to Indian cricket, I’ll be very happy to accomplish that,” he added.
The thought of retiring from the ground did not cross Pujara’s mind and he leaves the game with no regrets.
But he acknowledged that Test cricket is hardly played in the classical way nowadays even though the relevance of conventional batters remains very much intact.
Pujara was commentating in the U.K. where a young India side exceeded expectations to tie the five-match series. Over the course of the series one saw unabashed aggression from the likes of Rishabh Pant and Ben Duckett but at the same time, K L Rahul at the top of the order presented a picture of calm.
Having mentioned that, the classical type of Test match batting is a dying artwork. Does it make somebody like Pujara unhappy? “I do not assume I’m unhappy. I nonetheless really feel that even within the present period, there’s scope for a classical Test match participant. But occasions have modified. One wants to transfer on with the time,” he said.
“And if I had to inform something to a younger participant, I might positively say that it is best to select enjoying all three codecs of this recreation as a result of we’re seeing extra white ball cricket now,” he added.
The reason, according to him, is that players are getting picked in the Test squad based on their performances in the IPL, or in the ODI squad.
“So once you carry out nicely in white ball cricket, you’re mechanically given an opportunity to symbolize the Indian Test staff. And that is why their recreation is on the aggressive facet,” he explained.
But then he also cited the examples of Abhimanyu Easwaran and Karun Nair, who are getting in after performing well in Ranji Trophy.
“So there’s nonetheless a scope for gamers who’re doing nicely in Ranji Trophy and nonetheless getting picked within the Test squad,” said Pujara, who was India’s rock at number three for more than a decade.
In the England series, K L Rahul was one of the standout batters. He played the old fashioned way at the top of the order and got the desired results. For Pujara, Rahul’s approach as an opener was a beacon of hope for classical Test batting, which meant wearing out the bowlers like he did brilliantly.
In Pictures | Cheteshwar Pujara, one of the foremost Test specialists in 21st century, retires
Former Indian batter Cheteshwar Pujara introduced his retirement from all types of cricket on August 24, 2025. Pujara is most remembered for India’s Border-Gavaskar Trophy triumph in Australia in 2018 and 2020. He troubled Australia along with his strong defence and approach.
In the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy collection, he scored 271 runs from 4 matches at a mean of 33.87, with three fifties and a finest rating of 77. In the ultimate Test at The Gabba, he endured a number of physique blows from Australian pacers on his physique, making the win much more memorable.
Pujara was all about classical batsmanship marinated in Test whites. Pujara has performed 103 Tests scoring 7,195 runs with 206 not out being his highest rating. He has scored 19 centuries together with 35 half-centuries.
Solidity on the crease and a way of dignity remained Cheteshwar Pujara’s particular attributes.
In top quality cricket, he has performed 278 matches scoring 21,301 runs with 352 being his highest. His common in first-class cricket is 51.82. He has scored 66 centuries and 81 half-centuries.
The crowd’s raucous affection was reserved for Tendulkar and Kohli, while for Dravid and his successor Pujara, there was muted respect. Incidentally Pujara made his Test debut in Dravid’s hometown Bengaluru in 2010, and that too against Australia, an opponent he often defied through his storied career.
Cheteshwar Pujara additionally has performed 71 T20 matches scoring 1,556 runs with 100 being his finest.
In an age of glitz, mighty sixes and hyperbole, Cheteshwar Pujara was an exception. The old style batter was keen to grind out assaults, took blows on his physique, and infrequently laid the inspiration for his extra effervescent team-mates like Virat Kohli to prosper.
Cheteshwar Pujara rings the five-minute bell before the start of the third day of the third Test match between India and England, at the Lord’s Cricket Ground, in London on July 12, 2025. series. Anil Kumble, who coached India during part of Pujara’s career, hailed him as a true ambassador of the game. “Congratulations on a fantastic career! You have been a great ambassador of this wonderful game,” he said.
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“He is without doubt one of the finest Test batters we’ve got presently within the squad…he is without doubt one of the most technically appropriate gamers within the Indian staff. Also, it’s good that he is opening the innings which can be setting the inspiration for all the staff.
“We also saw that he performed well in Australia and then his form dipped a bit but now he is working on it…he is carrying on with his form, converting his starts into big scores which is a positive thing to see.
“Hope he carries on like that not simply in Test cricket however in different codecs as nicely,” said Pujara.
Retirement sinking in, compliment from Kohli
Though Pujara last played for India in 2023, he remained an active cricketer featuring for Saurashtra in Ranji Trophy and county cricket. He was planning to play another domestic season when he was commentating on the game in England but he came back to Rajkot and took the call to move on.
“Slowly it’s sinking in. But on the similar time, I’m actually overwhelmed with all of the love and help supplied by all of the relations, buddies and my teammates, the coaches I’ve labored with, the cricket followers,” he said.
Was it the retirements of fellow seniors like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma that prompted Pujara to say goodbye to the game? “When I used to be within the UK, I used to be truly trying ahead to the season. But as soon as I got here again dwelling, I used to be settling in. And once I was about to begin my preparation for the Ranji Trophy, I wished to converse to my household, to my buddies, a few of my colleagues. What are their ideas on me enjoying this season.
“Because I knew that if I played another season, I would be holding a spot in the team and I didn’t want to do that. And I wasn’t 100 per cent sure that I wanted to carry on playing the entire season.
“So I assumed that it was one of the best time for me to transfer on and supply a possibility to the youthful participant who can be a part of the Saurashtra staff.” Pujara, who faced 16217 balls in his Test career, allowed the likes of Kohli to play their natural game as he withstood the pressure from the other end.
On Kohli saying that he made life easier for him at number four, Pujara said: “It’s a pleasant praise from Virat. He’s an incredible participant.
“And if he’s saying that I’ve made his life easier, I’m really proud because if you’re a top-order batsman, your job is to ensure that the batters who bat at number 4, 5, 6, you make their life easier.” India haven’t discovered a strong quantity three since Pujara left the scene. Does he see anybody within the present staff performing that powerful position in the long term? “Well, it’s very hard to say at this stage. But Indian team has a lot of young, talented players. Someone like Sai Sudharshan has started this journey well. We saw some potential in his batting.
“At the identical time, Karun Nair additionally scored a 50, although he was batting at quantity 5. Both Sai and Karun have proven a number of potential going ahead.”
On role of parents in his stellar career
Known for his calm demeanour and affable personality, Pujara got a tad emotional talking about his father Arvind Pujara, his coach and former first-class player, and late mother, Reena Pujara.
“It was an emotional second for him as nicely. He additionally was an inspiration for me as a result of his dedication in direction of cricket was wonderful and I’ve learnt lots from him. But I additionally would really like to thank my mother.
“I lost my mom when I was 17 because of cancer, but she taught me a lot of things. She taught me to be a good human being. My wife Pooja as well, she has written a book where she writes that it takes a village for a person to be a successful cricketer,” he mentioned.
Special collection wins of 2018 and 2021 Down Under
Australia introduced one of the best out of Pujara, who helped India to again to again collection wins Down Under. In the primary one, he collected three lots of and within the second, he took loads of physique blows that denied Australia in their very own yard.
Asked to decide his favorite, Pujara mentioned: “It’s hard to pick one series because both have been incredible ones. I was able to contribute in both the series in different ways.
“Maybe variety of runs had been extra in 2018. But the sort of staff we had been enjoying with in 2021, regardless of having so many difficulties, we had been enjoying via COVID occasions, there have been a number of restrictions, there have been so many modifications inside the staff for varied causes.
“…2018 was the first time when India won the Test series on Australian soil. So that is one of the proudest moments for me individually,” he mirrored.
“And the next one in 2020 and 2021 was an entirely different series where things were not going India’s way and then we still to manage to win Test matches and win a Test series over there was a fantastic achievement,” mentioned Pujara.
While Australia was his completely satisfied looking floor, he discovered England the hardest nation to play in.
“If I had to pick one country where things were really challenging, I would go with English conditions.”
Learnings from Sachin, Dravid
The likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid had been round when Pujara made his Test debut. The priceless conversations with them early in his career helped him excel in abroad situations.
“…when you have so many senior players within the dressing room, you get to interact with the…Also, I had asked them questions about how to be successful in overseas conditions.
“I’ve spoken to each considered one of them individually and I’ve acquired nice suggestions, nice inputs about how they ready, what they noticed in my recreation and what I had to work on going ahead.”
