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The currently out-of-favor Cheteshwar Pujara remains one of India's most accomplished Test batters in their coveted history. Among the few old-school batters to achieve success in the modern era, Pujara was a blast from the past.
An impenetrable defence with a truckload of patience, temperament, and doggedness, Pujara has been a thorn in several opposition sides. With India pondering over the uncertainty around the crucial No.3 position upon the legendary Rahul Dravid's retirement, Pujara was a godsend for the side in the last decade.
The veteran batter is eighth all-time among Indian batters in Test runs, with 7195 runs at an average of 43.60, including 19 centuries in 103 outings. The numbers aside, Pujara's value often lies in his intangibles, evidenced by his ability to see off the new ball and tire bowlers to make life peaceful for batters to follow.
Although he was dropped from the Indian Test squad and isn't featuring in the ongoing series against England, Pujara has thwarted the English attack several times in his illustrious career.
As he celebrates his 36th birthday today, let us look back at Chesteshwar Pujara's five best Test knocks against England.
#1 206* in Ahmedabad, 1st Test, 2012
England's 2012-13 tour of India is one that home fans often try to erase from their memory. It was the last time the Asian giants suffered a Test series defeat at home.
Yet, the silver lining to the series was Cheteshwar Pujara's emergence as India's rock in the batting order. The resolute batter had played only five Tests for India before the home series against England and scored a solitary century against New Zealand.
However, Pujara's time to cement himself in the Indian lineup had finally arrived in the first Test of the four-match series against England in Ahmedabad. The 36-year-old set the ideal tone by scoring a magnificent unbeaten 206 off 389 deliveries to propel India to a massive 521/8 declared in their first essay.
With 21 boundaries and numerous singles and twos, Pujara kept English bowlers at bay. An exhausted England side then capitulated with the bat to be bowled out for a paltry 191 in their first innings.
Despite a better showing after following on in their second stint, India chased down the target of 77 with nine wickets in hand, with Pujara scoring a quickfire 41*.
#2 119 in Visakhapatnam, 2nd Test, 2016
Coming off the high of the 2012-13 series win in India, England rode the momentum to draw the opening Test of their subsequent tour in 2016-17.
However, that was their final moment of joy for a while as the Indians showcased their home dominance by winning the following four Tests to complete a 4-0 series win.
Pujara scored a defiant 124 in the drawn opening Test, but his 119 in the following game in Visakhapatnam changed the course of the series. Batting first, India lost two early wickets and tottered at 22/2 in five overs. Unperturbed, Pujara combined with skipper Virat Kohli to stitch together a match-winning 226-run third-wicket partnership to bail India out of trouble.
The Saurashtra batter scored a sparkling 119 off 204 deliveries with 12 fours and two sixes to help India post a massive 455 in their first innings.
The hosts never looked back and completed a magnificent 246-run victory to take a 1-0 lead.
#3 61 at The Oval, 2021
Despite boasting five Test centuries against England, Cheteshwar Pujara's 61 at the Oval in 2021 ranks among his best in the context of the game and the series.
The five-match series was tantalizingly poised at 1-1 entering the Oval Test, but India was immediately put on the back foot after being bowled out for a mere 191 in their first innings. On a bowler-friendly wicket, the hosts totaled 290 in their first essay to capture a valuable 99-run lead.
As the game and the series seemed to be slipping away, Pujara produced one of his dogged rearguard actions. The 36-year-old entered the crease on the back of a solid opening stand and added a game-changing 153 runs for the second wicket with Rohit Sharma to lead India into the ascendancy.
His 61 off 127 balls deflated the English bowlers and helped India set them a target of 368 in the final innings. A rejuvenated Indian side then bowled England out for 210, winning by 157 runs to take a 2-1 series lead.
#4 132* in Southampton, 4th Test, 2018
India not pulling off a win is the only reason Pujara's extraordinary 132* in the penultimate Test of the 2018 series isn't at the top of this list.
Trailing 1-2 in the five-match series, India bowled England out for 246 in a bowlers' paradise in Southampton. With the series on the line, Indian batters, barring Pujara, succumbed to the pressure of the conditions and the English attack.
Yet, the 36-year-old provided another evidence of why he is held in such high regard by carrying the Indian batting with an unbeaten 132 off 257 balls. With no other Indian batter scoring even a 50, Pujara maintained a terrific tempo right through the innings to take the visitors to 277 and a 31-run lead.
Despite India eventually losing by 60 runs to surrender the series thanks to their woeful fourth-innings batting, Pujara's century remains one of the best innings by an overseas batter in English conditions.
#5 135 in Mumbai, 2nd Test, 2012
Following his lone double century against England in the opening Test of the 2012-13 home series, Pujara rode an excellent form in the second game in Mumbai.
India batted first on a rank turner at the Wankhede Stadium and stumbled right through the innings. However, Pujara stood tall amidst the carnage to score a memorable 135 off 350 deliveries in India's total of 327.
That none of the other top seven Indian batters managed to score over 30 puts Pujara's incredible knock into proper context. With the ball turning square, the stoic right-hander displayed exemplary footwork and technique to carry the Indian batting on his back.
Unfortunately, much like his innings in Southampton, Pujara's century went in vain as India suffered a shocking 10-wicket defeat. Nevertheless, his innings was a remarkable display of batsmanship against the turning ball by India's brilliant No.3.
