- 202 in the first innings against Australia at Ranchi in 2017
Cheteshwar Pujara played yet another stellar innings and registered his third Test double-hundred while playing against Australia in the third-Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2017, played at JSCA International Stadium Complex, Ranchi. This stadium made its ‘Test debut’ with this encounter.
Once again electing to bat, Aussies managed to put up 451 runs in their first innings, duly aided by great innings played by their skipper, Steven Smith (178*) and Glenn Maxwell (104). For India, Ravindra Jadeja picked up five wickets while Umesh Yadav accounted for three.
After a reasonably good start given by the young KL Rahul (67) and Murali Vijay, the first-wicket partnership yielding 91 runs, Pujara and Vijay once again got together to add a very valuable 102 runs for the second wicket, while Vijay got out, stumped by Mathew Wade off Steve O’Keefe.
Pujara held up one end while the wickets of Virat Kohli (6), Ajinkya Rahane (14), Karun Nair (23) and Ravi Ashwin (3) fell at the other end.
Wicket-keeper, Wriddhiman Saha, who then joined Cheteshwar Pujara in the middle, kept company with him and the duo added a massive 199 runs for the seventh-wicket.
Being out at the crease for a monumental 672 minutes, facing 525 deliveries, hitting 21 fours, Cheteshwar Pujara registered 202 runs. His hundred came in 214 balls with 14 fours and his double-century came after facing a massive 521 balls with 21 boundaries.
Cheteshwar Pujara had exhibited a ‘load of patience’ hanging around in the middle and played the longest innings, by an Indian batsman, in terms of number of deliveries faced. He surpassed the previous record of Rahul Dravid who scored 270 runs, facing 495 deliveries against Pakistan in 2004.
The Test match ended in a draw and Cheteshwar Pujara was awarded the Player of the Match award.
Following records stand in the name of Cheteshwar Pujara:
Cheteshwar Pujara passed 2,000 runs in a year. He has scored 2,043 runs at 102.15 in first-class matches in 2013. Only Chris Rogers with 2,391 runs at 48.79 from 28 matches has made more in 2013.
Cheteshwar Pujara”s 222-run partnership with Virat Kohli is India”s third highest in South Africa and their highest in the second innings of a Test in South Africa.
Second fastest 1,000 test runs by Indian player.
Highest second innings score of 153 by any Indian batsmen in South Africa.
Most balls faced by an Indian in a test innings -525
Pujara climbed to a career-best number 2 spot in the rankings for Test batsmen his double century against Australia in March 2017.
stats credit : Rajesh Khilare
