Follow UsCheteshwar Pujara recently retired from all forms of Indian cricket. While he is known for being among the greatest Test players of his generation, he played a few matches in the Indian Premier League (IPL) as well.
Pujara did not have a particularly successful IPL career, having scored just 390 runs at 20.52 at a strike rate of under 100. However, former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) pacer Kane Richardson recalled a game where Pujara played a match-winning knock for Punjab Kings (then Kings XI Punjab) in 2014.
Opening the batting, Pujara remained unbeaten on 48 off just 38 deliveries, but a masterclass from Glenn Maxwell and David Miller saw the Kings chase down 192 set by the Rajasthan Royals (RR).
"I actually remember playing him in the IPL. He had a really small IPL career, but he opened the batting one year for Punjab at Sharjah, and he anchored them to a win. He made 40 off like 45, and it took a Maxwell masterclass to get them over the line, but he tried to play short-form cricket. But I think his strength was just what he was in the Test format. So, that’s as close as what I got to bowling to Pujara, and I got a good taste of it that day. I couldn’t get through him," Richardson, who was playing for RR that day, told Cricket.com.au.
Richardson, who played for RCB in 2016 and 2021, also lauded Pujara's Test career, saying that many hated coming up against him.
"And whilst it may not be the best for the people in the stands and broadcasters, I think there’s definitely a role for it. Like Test cricket, it’s not gotten any shorter; it's still five days. So, like we said, if there’s a role to play for someone like that, they make everyone around them better. Opposition hates playing against them like hats off. So yeah, great career [for] Pujara. Enjoy, well-earned feet up," Richardson added.
After making his Test debut in 2010, Pujara slammed 7,195 runs in the format in 103 matches, which includes 19 tons and 35 fifties.