Cheteshwar Pujara, one of India’s most dependable Test batters, announced his retirement from all forms of Indian cricket on Monday. The 37-year-old made the announcement through a heartfelt post on X (formerly Twitter), bringing an end to a career that shaped India’s modern Test success.

Pujara’s farewell message

In his retirement note, Pujara wrote, "Wearing the Indian jersey, singing the anthem, and trying my best each time I stepped on the field - it's impossible to put into words what it truly meant. But as they say, all good things must come to an end, and with immense gratitude I have decided to retire from all forms of Indian cricket."

A pillar at No. 3

Pujara made his debut in 2010 and went on to play 103 Tests and 5 ODIs. He scored 7,195 runs in Tests at an average of 43.60, with 19 centuries and 35 fifties. At home, he was even more dominant, scoring 3,839 runs at an impressive average of 52.58.

For over a decade, he was India’s most reliable No. 3 batter. His calm presence anchored India’s batting in many historic wins, both at home and abroad. His last Test was the World Test Championship final against Australia at The Oval in June 2023. Even after being left out of the national side, Pujara kept playing red-ball cricket for Saurashtra and for Sussex in the County Championship.

Saurashtra’s tribute

The Saurashtra Cricket Association called his retirement the end of a golden era. President Jaydev Shah said, "Today marks the end of an extraordinary chapter in Indian and Saurashtra cricket as Cheteshwar, one of the game's most committed and technically gifted batsmen, announces his retirement from all forms of cricket."

Landmark performances

Pujara scored his first Test century in Hyderabad against New Zealand in 2012. Two months later, he struck a double century against England and followed it with another hundred in Mumbai. In 2013, he batted for nearly six hours in Johannesburg to score 153, helping India draw against South Africa.

His overseas grit stood out in Colombo in 2015, where he carried his bat with a patient 145. In England in 2018, he scored a heroic unbeaten 132 at Southampton when no other batter crossed 46. A year earlier in Ranchi, he showcased remarkable endurance, batting for 672 minutes and facing 525 deliveries for a double hundred. He is one of only three Indians — alongside ML Jaisimha and Ravi Shastri — to bat on all five days of a Test.

Backbone of Australia triumphs

Pujara was central to India’s two historic series wins in Australia. In 2018-19, he scored three centuries — in Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney — guiding India to their first-ever Test series victory Down Under.

Two years later, his resilience defined India’s 2020-21 win. Across four Tests, he absorbed 928 deliveries against Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc. At Brisbane, he took several body blows but fought through to score a gritty 211-ball 56, paving the way for India’s famous series-clinching triumph.

First-class giant

Beyond international cricket, Pujara leaves behind a towering first-class record. In 278 matches, he scored 21,301 runs at an average of 51.82, with 66 centuries, including three triple hundreds.