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Cheteshwar Pujara Slams A Glorious Double Ton In Ranji Trophy, Sparks Test Comeback Talks

Pujara hammered a double hundred in Ranji Trophy [Source: @CricCrazyJohns/X]Pujara hammered a double hundred in Ranji Trophy [Source: @CricCrazyJohns/X]

India's veteran batter Cheteshwar Pujara had a memorable outing with the bat, as he slammed a glorious double-century in Saurashtra's ongoing Ranji Trophy encounter against Chattisgarh at Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot. Coming at number three, Pujara hammered the Chhattisgarh bowlers to all corners of the ground, registering his eighteenth double-hundred in First-Class cricket. 

Cheteshwar Pujara's Magnificent Double Ton Keeps Chhattisgarh At Bay

After winning the toss and opting to bat first, Chhattisgarh posted a whopping first innings total of 578 runs, riding on exceptional knocks from skipper Amandeep Khare and Sanjeet Desai. Shubham Agarwal and Aayush Pandey clobbered half-centuries, while Anuj Tiwary contributed crucial 44 runs. 

In response, Saurashtra had a horrible start to their innings, losing opener Harvik Desai for five runs. However, Cheteshwar Pujara steadied the ship for the hosts, stitching vital stands alongside Chirag Jani, Sheldon Jackson and Arpit Vasavada. 

While Jackson and Vasavada cracked magnificent fifties, Pujara held the fort for Saurashtra at one end, bringing up his eighteenth double ton in First-Class cricket. His knock spoke volumes for not only his stroke play but also his knack for stepping up in critical situations. 

Should Pujara Be Recalled Into The Indian Test Side?

Hailed for his gritty batting, Cheteshwar Pujara was sidelined from India's Test setup following a prolonged lean patch in the early 2020s. Despite oozing his class and consistency in the domestic red-ball tournaments, including the County Championship, the veteran batter hasn't received a recall since then. 

Although India's top-order batters failed to live up to the expectations in the Bengaluru Test against New Zealand, they still have a quality alternative in Abhimanyu Easwaran apart from their regular number three Shubman Gill. In such a scenario, Cheteshwar Pujara's immediate comeback seems a distant dream in spite of the batter's overwhelming performance in domestic cricket.