Will Cheteshwar Pujara return for England-India Test series?
What's the story
Veteran Indian cricketer, Cheteshwar Pujara, has once again expressed his desire to return to the national squad for the upcoming five-match Test series in England.
The series, set to take place from June to August, will pose a significant challenge for skipper Rohit Sharma and head coach Gautam Gambhir.
This follows India's recent losses in home and away series against New Zealand and Australia respectively.
Commitment
Pujara ready to seize opportunity
Despite falling out of the pecking order, Pujara has been a consistent performer in the county and domestic circuit over the last few years.
He had also said he would be ready to make a comeback if given another chance.
"As a cricketer, you always want to play for the Indian team," he told Revsportz. "And I am doing whatever I can to achieve that success. If the team needs me, I'm definitely ready."
Past performance
Pujara's last appearance in 2023
Pujara's last appearance for India came in the 2023 ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia.
Although the right-handed batter was snubbed for following assignments, he felt his presence could have helped India win the Border-Gavaskar Trophy Down Under.
He said, "Yes, I was very confident. If I was there then we wanted to make a hat-trick."
Future prospects
Pujara optimistic about India's chances against England
Regarding the England series, Pujara admitted that it would be tough to play in their conditions but was hopeful about India's chances.
The Indian batter also pointed out that England's bowling attack has shrunk with the retirement of senior pacers James Anderson and Stuart Broad.
"This Indian team definitely has a very good chance," he added, emphasizing his faith in India's competitiveness.
Stats
Over 7,100 Test runs
Pujara was instrumental in India's historic 2018/19 Test series win against Australia Down Under.
He had scored a whopping 521 runs and faced a mind-boggling 1,258 deliveries in the series.
Overall, Pujara has slammed 7,195 runs from 103 Tests at 43.60. His tally includes 19 tons.
He recently scored 99 for Saurashtra against Assam in the 2024/25 Ranji Trophy. In seven games, Pujara scored 402 runs at 40.20.