Cheteshwar Pujara’s 15th Test century: India’s No. 3 walked a lonely path to turn the tables for his team.
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During the second day of the fourth Test of the ongoing Pataudi Trophy between England and India at The Rose Bowl, Southampton, Indian batsman Cheteshwar Pujara registered his 15th Test century in difficult circumstances to prove his mettle as a Test batsman.
Been not included in the playing eleven in the first Test, Pujara found form in the last Test at Trent Bridge when he scored his 18th Test half-century. In an even more testing situation here, Pujara defeated the odds to reach to this milestone.
Such kind of an innings hasn’t been anything new for a batsman of Pujara’s stature for he has played toiling innings like these in the past as well. The way he does it time and again determines the character of the 30-year old right-hand batsman from Saurashtra.
Playing his second tour in England, this is Pujara’s first Test century on their soil. Overall, it is his fifth against them. It is also his fifth away Test hundred. Having hit his last century against Sri Lanka at Nagpur in November last year, this is his first century this year.
Reacting on the same on Twitter, a plethora of people were overjoyed after watching Pujara play with such sense of purpose, determination and grit. Numerous people were wax lyrical about his innings, comparing him to many previous greats of the game.
The fact his hundred came after his captain and India’s most dependable batsman Virat Kohli got out speaks a lot about its importance to the team. After limited support from Kohli, Pujara received almost no resistance from the other batsmen, who were mostly involved in a quintessential batting collapse.
Watch how Twitter reacted on Pujara’s first century in England:
