“Pujara opened the batting one year for Punjab” - Former RCB cricketer recalls stunning match from IPL 2014

Former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) pacer Kane Richardson reminisced about Cheteshwar Pujara’s match-winning knock while paying his tributes to the former Indian cricketer. The speedster recalled how Pujara played an anchor role as Punjab Kings (then Kings XI Punjab) chased down 192 against the Rajasthan Royals in the seventh match of IPL 2014.

The right-hander scored an unbeaten 40 off 38 balls, including three boundaries. However, Glenn Maxwell and David Miller slammed 89 (45) and 51* (19), respectively, to take the team over the line.

Speaking to cricket.com.au’s YouTube channel, Richardson said:

“19:00 - I actually remember playing him in the IPL. He had a really small IPL career, but he opened the batting one year for Punjab at Sharjah, and he anchored them to a win. He made 40 off like 45, and it took a Maxwell masterclass to get them over the line, but he tried to play short-form cricket. But I think his strength was just what he was in the Test format. So, that’s as close as what I got to bowling to Pujara, and I got a good taste of it that day. I couldn’t get through him.”

Richardson further lauded Pujara for his remarkable Test career, saying the opponents hate playing against someone with old-school batting. He continued:

“20:00 – Well, definitely not in the long format cricket (hitting sixes). It’s, I mean, everyone wants to play every format now, and there are no problems with upskilling and trying to get as good as you can across all three formats, but there is a beauty and romance in someone who does this old school way.”

“And whilst it may not be the best for the people in the stands and broadcasters, I think there’s definitely a role for it. Like Test cricket, it’s not gotten any shorter; it's still five days. So, like we said, if there’s a role to play for someone like that, they make everyone around them better. Opposition hates playing against them like hats off. So yeah, great career [for] Pujara. Enjoy, well-earned feet up,” he added.

“He’s just stayed to his process and the way he wants to play Test cricket” – Kane Richardson lauds Cheteshwar Pujara

Kane Richardson further lauded Cheteshwar Pujara for sticking to his natural game throughout his career. The 34-year-old added that the 37-year-old played a terrific role for his batting partners by tiring the bowlers. He said in the same video:

“18:00 - Yeah, amazing career and like you said, he was the thorn in Australia’s side for so long, wasn’t he? And the thing that you, I think, you look back on, and when he’s spoken about, people reflect on is how he did it in his own way... This is a man who has not put his feet in that water at all. He’s just stayed to his process and the way he wants to play Test cricket. He’s almost the perfect foil to so many of those giants around him in that batting order. So, I would say that those guys will reflect on him retiring and be like, ‘Wow, that guy was great to play with because he made our job so much easier.’”

“And same for the Aussies bowling team would be like, ‘Thank God, he’s not playing anymore.’ Like I can’t imagine, day one you lose the toss and you’re bowling on a flatty and Pujara walks out on a hot day like. Like that’s as hard as it would get. Yeah, amazing player.”

Cheteshwar Pujara represented India in 103 Tests, scoring 71,195 runs in 176 innings at an average of 43.60, including 19 tons and 35 half-centuries. The Saurashtra batter has also played five ODIs for the Men in Blue, managing 51 runs. In the IPL, he scored 390 runs in 22 innings at a strike rate of 99.74, comprising one half-century.