Cheteshwar Pujara is one of the most dedicated and determined cricket players, especially while playing in its purest form. Pujara is one of the elusive few who prioritized the red-ball format, especially county cricket, during his seventh season playing in England’s domestic premier red-ball competition. Most modern-day cricketers choose the white-ball format, especially T20s, for a variety of reasons, such as money, fame, or recognition by selectors to get a quick pass into the national setup.
The 36-year-old is still one of the few players who prioritizes the red-ball format in today’s cricketing scene, where the majority of players prefer the white-ball format, notably T20s, for a variety of reasons like financial gain, celebrity, and quick selection for the national squad. This includes a noteworthy eighth season in the premier domestic red-ball championship in England.
Day 2 of Sussex’s County Championship Division Two match against Middlesex at Lord’s saw Cheteshwar Pujara create an incredible recovery after unimpressive performances against Glamorgan and Yorkshire, where he managed just 91 runs across four innings. It was his 65th century in the First-Class ring.
With a legendary century from Cheteshwar Pujara, Sussex defeats Middlesex.
After Middlesex decided to bowl first, Sussex got off to a quick start but faltered, reaching 92/3 by the 28th over. With Pujara batting at No. 4, his opening delivery was a no-ball. Cheteshwar Pujara, showing his typical patience, took his time getting settled in and hit his first boundary on the 33rd pitch he faced, taking his score from 7 to 11 in 14 deliveries. Cheteshwar Pujara produced two consecutive boundaries off right-arm fast medium bowler Ethan Bamber in the 42nd over of Sussex’s batting.
Cheteshwar Pujara reached his fifty-single mark following a single off Ryan Higgins. The seasoned campaigner eventually broke into the nineties after hitting a boundary off Henry Brookes. After Day 1, Cheteshwar amassed 91 runs off 210 balls to remain unbeaten, raising questions among spectators about his ability to handle the critical times that lay ahead. Day 2 began with Cheteshwar needing 29 deliveries to establish himself.
Also Read: IPL 2024 Final: KKR vs SRH – Impact of a Washout
Interestingly, he was on the verge of reaching the milestone after his first three runs of the day, needing only to cross one boundary. The much-awaited moment came as Cheteshwar finished a brilliant century in 256 deliveries with a beautiful stroke of his 12th boundary of the innings. After that, he batted a little bit longer and finished with 15 boundaries in his marathon effort of 129 off 302 balls.
India
