Why Does Ashwin Think Pujara Is A White Walker From Game of Thrones?

Former India offspinner R Ashwin has drawn a fascinating comparison between Cheteshwar Pujara and the White Walkers - the humanoid creatures from HBO’s Game of Thrones, and George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire novel series.

Speaking on his YouTube channel Ash Ki Baat, Ashwin praised Pujara’s resilience and presence at the crease, likening him to the White Walkers.

“The cricket-loving public definitely knows the contribution of Cheteshwar Pujara. If you guys have seen Game of Thrones, there is a character of a white walker. I termed Pujara a white walker. He walks slowly but never leaves the field,” Ashwin said.

Pujara, who recently retired from all formats of Indian cricket, enjoyed a stellar career that spanned 103 Tests. The Saurashtra batter scored 7195 runs at an average of 43.60, earning admiration worldwide for his grit, patience, and ability to blunt the toughest of bowling attacks. 

Ashwin also recalled one of Pujara’s grittiest knocks - during the 2018 Test against South Africa at the New Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg. The pitch was later rated “poor” by the International Cricket Council (ICC) due to its dangerous nature, but Pujara stood firm with immense determination and scored 50 off 179 deliveries in the first innings. India went on to win the Test by 63 runs.

“There was a wicket in South Africa, the game had to be stopped at the Wanderers. The wicket was deemed dangerous. We had lost the series. Pujara played 53 balls before he got off the mark,” Ashwin said.

“Just see that scorecard, Pujara's batting helped us out. It was a low-scoring game. He always did the thankless job; the ball was seaming a lot in that Test. Pujara's contribution is unbelievable. People don't talk about him much, but he is a bona fide legend. There are not many players like him.”