IND vs AUS: India's Cheteshwar Pujara added a feather to his illustrious cap in Test cricket when he stepped on the field in his 100th Test against Australia. Pujara, who took the baton of being India's modern wall from the great Rahul Dravid has been a key pillar for India for more than a decade. Pujara has been a man, who bats with great discipline and patience on some of the most difficult pitches in and away from India. As Pujara becomes the 13th Indian to smash a century of Test matches, here are some of his highly skilled innings in the longest format of the game.
206* vs England in 2012
After facing an embarrassing whitewash against England away from home in 2011, India had a task to start their home series well. Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag gave a good start to India in the first innings and the middle order needed to carry on the momentum. While a few wickets fell, Pujara held one end and smashed his first double ton only in his sixth Test match of the career. Pujara carried his unbeaten 206 with a 41* in the second innings to win by 9 wickets.
202 vs Australia in 2017
The Border Gavaskar Trophy 2017 was one of a kind. Recently on ESPNCricinfo, Pujara had termed the series as one of the toughest series played in India. Having lost the first Test and won the next, India needed another good performance in the third to win the Trophy. Even though India were going well, they lost a few wickets and were away from Australia's 451. Then came Pujara and Wriddhiman Saha's 199-run stand, where Pujara smashed 202. India got to 603 and the match ended in a draw.
132 vs England in 2018
It was yet another masterful knock from India's No.3. Pujara came in to bat early when KL Rahul got out on 19. As India were chasing a 246-run trail in the first innings, Pujara's masterful 132 stood apart from an otherwise average performance from the Indian batters. He partnered with Ishant Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah to take India to 273 and take a crucial 27-run lead. The next highest score in the Indian innings was that of Virat Kohli, who hit 46.
123 & 71 vs Australia in 2018
India were touring Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and were yet to defeat the mighty Aussies at their home. The Indian batters were put under task in the first Test in Adelaide and no batter found it easy to keep going except Pujara. India's No.3 was the lone fighter in the first innings as he helped the visitors register a fightable 250 on the board. In the second innings too, Pujara was crucial with the bat. He helped his team set a decent platform to give Australia a 322-run total on the board. India later won the match by 31 runs.
56 vs Australia in 2021
With their back against the wall, India needed a special performance to not lose a test match in Brisbane against Australia. The series was an emotion for many fans and experts. After the series parity in Melbourne and a brilliant escape in Sydney, India still had a giant task to avoid a defeat. Chasing 328, no one thought about what would transpire on the final day and India's win chances were minimal. But Pujara and Shubman Gill set the platform for Rishabh Pant to do an unthinkable at the Gabba. Pujara hit 56 runs but took numerous blows on various parts of his body to keep India in the hunt. A depleted Indian side went on to win the match by 3 wickets against a robust Australian side.
