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Bruised But Unbroken: Cheteshwar Pujara Led An Iconic Fight In Historic Gabba Test

Akshita Patel

Cheteshwar Pujara took multiple blows during Gabba Test in 2021 [Source: @LoyalSachinFan/X.com]Cheteshwar Pujara took multiple blows during Gabba Test in 2021 [Source: @LoyalSachinFan/X.com]

Cheteshwar Pujara isn't the most flamboyant cricketer for India. He doesn’t hit towering sixes like Rishabh Pant, but when India needed someone to stand tall against Australia’s fiery pace attack in the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, it was Pujara who turned into the human shield. 

India breached the Gabba fortress back in 2021 in what turned out to be a historic Border-Gavaskar Trophy victory on Australian soil. With their innings of 89 and 91 runs, respectively, Pant and Gill took centre stage, but Pujara's unwavering perseverance went unnoticed.

When Cheteshwar Pujara Broke Australia’s Spirits Despite Painful Blows

On the final day of the historic Brisbane Test, Cheteshwar Pujara was confronted by Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood at their best attacking form.

Short balls rained down on him, bouncers flew past his helmet, and one delivery even smashed into his fingers, leaving him in visible pain. 

He was struck on the body several times, the stem guard of his helmet flew off once, and yet he refused to flinch. Every blow he took became a statement of resilience. 

Despite 11 brutal blows, Pujara’s stubborn 56 off 211 balls laid the foundation for India’s incredible chase. He spent over five hours at the crease, absorbing pressure and frustrating the Australian bowlers who looked for cracks but found only iron will.

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Pujara's resilience [Source: @cricketontnt/X.com]Pujara's resilience [Source: @cricketontnt/X.com]

This was not new for Pujara. Since 2010 when he first debuted, he has built a career on batting for long hours, challenging bowlers, and showing the world that patience is as much a potent weapon as aggression. In the 2020-21 series alone, he faced a staggering 928 deliveries, the most by any batsman. 

In Sydney and Brisbane, his stonewalling in the fourth innings kept India alive and gave his teammates the platform to attack.

At 37, Cheteshwar Pujara has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. But his legacy in Indian Test history will forever be remembered as the wall that refused to bend against atrocious challenges.