Without an appeal or a flash, Cheteshwar Pujara walks into retirement!

In a team of stunning stroke-makers, Dravid’s calming presence at one-drop allowed the Sehwags, the Tendulkars and the Laxmans to play with freedom. Pujara performed a similar role as India moved on from the Fab Four and entered an era that would be dominated by Virat Kohli, around whom the batting revolved from the end of 2014.

Pujara’s penchant for occupying the crease and blunting bowling attacks was never more evident than on the tour of Australia in 2018-19, when India registered their first series triumph Down Under. Over four Tests, he faced a staggering 1258 deliveries while amassing a series-high 521 runs; such was his domineering presence at the batting crease that by the time of the final Test at the SCG, Australia’s bowling attack was running on empty when it came to physical reserves.

Pujara also played an identical role in a similar 2-1 triumph in Australia two years later when India finished the series with less than half the players who played in the first Test in Adelaide. With Ajinkya Rahane standing in for Kohli, away on paternity leave for the last three games, Pujara copped numerous blows to limb and body in the third and fourth Tests, producing half-centuries in the second innings of both games to secure an unexpected and honourable draw at the SCG and a historic victory at the Gabba in Brisbane respectively.

Not necessarily the most gifted when it came to stroke-production or the most impeccable from a technical standpoint, the right-hander was the embodiment of grit, courage and putting a huge price on his wicket. He didn’t covet the limelight, happy to perform in the shadows of his more flamboyant teammates while holding his own through the weight of admirable contributions to the larger cause. At various stages in the first half of his career, his strike-rate was often held against him, but Pujara never felt the need to bat out of character. He knew what his role at the pivotal No. 3 position was, though he wasn’t averse to opening the batting if the team so needed him to — he carried his bat while making 145 against Sri Lanka at the SSC ground in Colombo in 2015.

Last Test at the Oval

A dip in form that brought him just one hundred in his last four and a half years in Test cricket — he did make 15 half-centuries in that period — precipitated his exit from the five-day game. Pujara’s last outing for the country was at the World Test Championship final against Australia at the Oval in June 2023. He did nurture hopes of a comeback, but with Indian Test batting seemingly in safe hands if the series in England is anything to go by, he did the typically honourable Pujara thing, quietly walking away into the set without fuss or fanfare.