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Cheteshwar Pujara became the fourth Indian batter to score over 20000 runs in his First-Class cricket career on Sunday (January 21). He breached the milestone during the Ranji Trophy 2024 match between Vidarbha and Saurashtra.
Saurashtra registered a thumping 238-run win in the match to get off the mark this season. Pujara played a decent knock of 43 (105) in the first innings and then hit a fine half-century in the second innings to help Saurashtra set a target beyond Vidarbha's reach.
During his knock of 66 (137), Cheteshwar Pujara entered an exclusive club of Indian batters to have scored 20000 runs in FC career. Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid are the other Indians to have breached the milestone before him.
Pujara now has 20013 runs from 260 FC games at an average of 51.98, including 61 centuries and 78 half-centuries. He also hit 17 double centuries. The 35-year-old has been out of favor from selection for the Indian Test team. The World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia in June last year was his final appearance for India.
"He doesn't score runs only for selection" - Aakash Chopra on Cheteshwar Pujara
Former Indian batter Aakash Chopra recently analyzed Cheteshwar Pujara's decent performances in the Ranji Trophy 2024. He opined that Pujara does not score only to push his case for selection in the Indian Test team but plays for the love of batting as well.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra said:
"He is the saint of cricket. He will keep scoring because he doesn't score runs only for selection. Half the world scores runs for selection. He plays cricket just because he likes batting. He scores runs because he likes scoring runs."
He continued:
"So Cheteshwar Pujara will continue to score runs and break all records in first-class cricket. I think he has already scored 61 first-class centuries. He will make 100, he won't stop, he won't retire at all."
Do you agree with Aakash Chopra's views above? Let us know in the comments section below.
