Veteran Indian batter Cheteshwar Pujara on Sunday officially announced his retirement from all forms of cricket, marking the end of a distinguished career that spanned over a decade. The 37-year-old last represented India during the 2023 ICC World Test Championship final against Australia at The Oval.
Pujara made the announcement via social media, expressing heartfelt gratitude to fans and reflecting on the pride of representing India. “Wearing the Indian jersey, singing the anthem, and giving my all every time I stepped onto the field—it’s impossible to describe what that meant. But as they say, all good things must come to an end. With immense gratitude, I have decided to retire from all forms of Indian cricket,” he wrote on X.
A pillar of India’s Test batting line-up, Pujara retires as the country’s eighth-highest run-scorer in the longest format. Over 103 Tests and 5 ODIs, he amassed 7,195 Test runs at an average of 43.60, which included 19 centuries and 35 half-centuries.
Pujara will be best remembered for his resilience and grit, especially during India’s historic 2018–19 Test series win in Australia. He was the standout performer, scoring 521 runs, facing a marathon 1,258 deliveries, and registering three centuries—an effort that drew comparisons to Sunil Gavaskar’s legendary 774-run haul on the 1970–71 West Indies tour.
Throughout his career, Pujara was India’s rock at the No. 3 spot, building match-winning partnerships and anchoring innings under pressure, both at home and in challenging overseas conditions. His retirement marks the end of an era defined by patience, determination, and classical Test match batting.
