Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Aug 24: India’s ever-reliable Test specialist Cheteshwar Pujara, fondly called Mr Dependable, has announced his retirement from all forms of Indian cricket. The 37-year-old, who played his last of 103 Tests in 2023, made the announcement through a heartfelt note on social media.

Pujara, regarded as one of the finest pillars of India’s batting after Rahul Dravid, was instrumental in several historic victories, most notably the 2018-19 and 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy wins in Australia. In the famous Gabba Test of 2021, he absorbed body blows from Australian pacers while battling 211 deliveries for his gritty 56, helping India script a memorable 3-wicket victory.

“As a little boy from Rajkot, I dreamt of playing for India. Wearing the Indian jersey and singing the anthem was a priceless honour. With immense gratitude, I have decided to retire from Indian cricket,” Pujara wrote.

His decision follows the recent Test retirements of stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, marking the end of an era in Indian cricket.