Cheteshwar Pujara scripts records with 17th double-ton in FC cricket
Veteran Saurashtra batter Cheteshwar Pujara hammered a sparkling double-century against Jharkhand on Day 3 of the 2024 Ranji Trophy. He could not have started the season in a better fashion. Pujara put up a batting exhibition as the likes of Shahbaz Nadeem and Anukul Roy looked utterly clueless against him. He returned, having scored an unbeaten 243 off 356 balls (30 fours).
A fine knock from Pujara
Saurashtra, responding to Jharkhand's first innings total of 141, were off to a fine start as Pujara arrived with the scorecard reading 135/2. He recorded century stands with Arpit Vasavada and Prerak Mankad as Saurashtra went past the 500-run mark. Notably, Pujara batted with intent and brought up his ton off just 162 balls. He continued to bat well and brought up his 200.
Double-century stand with Mankad
Notably, Pujara was involved in a mammoth 256*-run stand with Mankad for the fifth wicket. Mankad also scored a century (104*) and returned unbeaten alongside Pujara. Their brilliance helped Saurashtra declare at 578/4. Besides the duo, Harvik Desai (85), Sheldon Jackson (54), and Vasavada (68) contributed with vital fifties. Notably, Saurashtra gained a massive 436-run lead in the first innings.
Pujara goes past VVS Laxman
Playing his 258th FC match, the veteran has compiled 19,812 runs at an average above 51. Meanwhile, this was his 17th double-ton in FC cricket. On Day 2, he brought up his 61st hundred. Besides, Pujara has also hammered 77 fifties in this format. He has surpassed Indian batting legend VVS Laxman (19,730) in terms of FC runs.
Pujara joins these names
Pujara now owns the joint-fourth-most double-tons in FC cricket. He has joined the England duo of Herbert Sutcliffe and Mark Ramprakash in this regard. Australian legend Donald Bradman tops the list with 37 double-tons. Wally Hammond (36) of England holds the second place. England's Elias Henry Hendren (22) is the only other batter with more double-tons than Pujara.
A look at his overall Test numbers
In Test cricket, Pujara has piled up 7,195 runs in 103 games at 43.60. He has mustered 19 centuries and 35 fifties in whites (200s: 3). Among active Indian cricketers, only Virat Kohli owns more Test runs (8,848). With 928 runs at 32, Pujara was India's second-highest run-getter in the 2021-23 WTC cycle. Kohli was marginally ahead of him with 932 at 32.13.
Pujara was dropped from India's Test squad
Pujara was dropped from the Test setup last year ahead of India's Test series against WI. BCCI is focused on building a team for the future and the 35-year-old isn't in the scheme of things. Hence, they have promoted Yashasvi Jaiswal to open the batting with Rohit Sharma as Shubman Gill has taken Pujara's spot at number three in the batting order.
