Why Cheteshwar Pujara Not Playing Test Match Against England, Here Is The Reason

India recently lost the first test against England in an ongoing series. Before the first test, due to Virat Kohli’s absence, the team added Rajat Patidar instead of choosing experienced players like Cheteshwar Pujara.

Even after the first test, with several players getting injured, Pujara still hasn’t been given a chance in the Indian Test squad. What could be possible reasons we will discuss in this blog.

Cheteshwar Pujara Not Selected For Team India Squad

Rohit Sharma, the Indian captain, explained that they decided to give a chance to a young player in the Test team instead of bringing in a more experienced but currently out-of-favor veteran.

He mentioned that they considered the idea of bringing back a senior player, like Pujara, to replace Kohli for the first two Tests against England. However, they chose to stick with the decision to provide opportunities to younger players. Pujara has been out of the team since the defeat in the World Test Championship final in 2023 due to poor form.

Anil Kumble on Cheteshwar Pujara

The reason I keep going back to Pujara is because he used to play at the No. 3 position not too long ago. After the World Test Championship final, Shubman Gill took over the opening slot, and Pujara wasn’t considered. Pujara, who last played a Test in June 2023, recently scored a double hundred in a Ranji match.

However, Rohit Sharma mentioned before the England series that they are giving chances to younger players. Anil Kumble suggested that Pujara needs to work on his mindset and make some adjustments in technique for the second Test starting February 2.

Does Cheteshwar Pujara Should Get a Chance in Test Cricket Against England?

Cheteshwar Pujara is a veteran and dependable batter in the Indian Test team. However, he has faced challenges in his performance and consistency over the last two years. Since January 2019, he hasn’t scored a century, and his average has fallen to 28.95 in the 22 Tests during this period.

In 2023, he was even left out of the team for the Sri Lanka series. Despite these struggles, some feel that, being a senior player, Pujara deserves a chance in the second Test against England. Especially since, apart from Rohit Sharma, the batting lineup consists mostly of younger players, and having an experienced player like Pujara could be beneficial.

Cheteshwar Pujara Performance in Test Cricket

Cheteshwar Pujara has done really well in Test cricket, playing 103 matches. In 176 innings, he scored a total of 7195 runs, and his best score is 206*. His average is 43.60, which shows he’s been consistent in international games. Pujara has hit 19 centuries and 35 half-centuries, proving he’s good at turning good starts into big scores.