Follow UsFormer India offspinner R Ashwin believes Cheteshwar Pujara’s contribution to Indian cricket is on par with modern greats Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Ashwin also credited Pujara for playing a vital role in helping Kohli accumulate many of his runs in Test cricket.
Pujara, who recently announced his retirement from all formats, had an illustrious career that spanned 103 Tests. The Saurashtra stalwart amassed 7195 runs at an average of 43.60, earning a reputation for his grit, patience, and resilience. For over a decade, he stood as the backbone of India’s batting line-up at No. 3.
Pujara also shared many memorable partnerships with Kohli. Together, the pair scored 3438 runs at an average of 42.4, including 17 fifty-plus stands and seven century-plus partnerships. They twice crossed the 200-run mark - a 222-run partnership against South Africa in 2013 and a 226-run stand against England in 2016.
Speaking on his YouTube channel Ash Ki Baat, Ashwin underlined Pujara’s often-understated impact. “What did Cheteshwar Pujara stand for in Indian cricket? I said his contributions are no less than Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Obviously, a lot of people talk about their contributions. The attention is not there.
“Not every cricketer gets the attention, but that does not mean their contribution is any less. Pujara's contribution at No.3, believe it or not, was instrumental in helping Virat Kohli also make a lot of his runs.”
Interestingly, all four stalwarts - Ashwin, Pujara, Kohli, and Rohit - have now stepped away from Test cricket. While Ashwin and Pujara have retired from all forms of international cricket, Kohli and Rohit remain active in ODIs.