Cheteshwar Pujara was felicitated by former India captain Sunil Gavaskar on Tuesday, ahead of the second Test match between India and Australia at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. Pujara became the 13th Indian cricketer to play 100 Test matches and was congratulated for his impressive achievements in the longest format of the game.
Pujara, who made his red-ball debut in October 2010, has amassed 7021 runs in Test cricket and has been an indispensable part of the Indian team for over a decade. The 33-year-old has been successful not just in home matches but also in foreign conditions.
Gavaskar praised Pujara for his hard work, self-belief, and perseverance in his career, saying, “When you go out to bat, it’s as if you’re taking the India flag with you. You’ve put your body on the line for India…Every single run you scored is a big plus for India. You’ve been a role model for what hard work, self-belief, and dreams can do. Welcome to the 100th Test club.”
Gavaskar also expressed his hope that Pujara becomes the first Indian cricketer to score a century in his 100th Test. None of the other Indian cricketers who have played 100 Tests have managed to do so.
The felicitation ceremony was held to honour Pujara’s contributions to Indian cricket and was attended by several former cricketers and dignitaries.
