Cheteshwar Pujara, the rock of Indian batting in the longest format for over a decade, on Sunday announced his retirement from all forms of cricket, bringing the curtains down on an exemplary Test career.
The 37-year-old made the announcement on social media, having played the last of his 103 Tests in 2023.
“As a little boy from the small town of Rajkot, along with my parents, I set out to aim for the stars; and dreamt to be a part of the Indian cricket team. Little did I know then that this game would give me so much – invaluable opportunities, experiences, purpose, love, and above all a chance to represent my state and this great nation.
“Wearing the Indian jersey, singing the anthem, and trying my best each time I stepped on the field – it’s impossible to put into words what it truly meant. But as they say, all good things must come to an end, and with immense gratitude I have decided to retire from all forms of Indian cricket,” Pujara said in a heartfelt note.
be playing for India again. Having said that his contribution to Indian cricket is immense. I would say it was a tad too late but a good decision,” Odedra added.
As a person, Pujara remains a picture of humility.
In his retirement message, he duly thanked the people and institutions that made him the player he became.
“I would like to thank the BCCI, and Saurashtra Cricket Association for the opportunity and support through my cricket career. I wouldn’t have made it this far without the invaluable guidance of my mentors, coaches and spiritual guru -to them I shall always remain indebted.
“A big thank you to all my teammates, support staff, net bowlers, analysts, logistics team, umpires, ground staff, scorers, media personnel and all those who tirelessly work behind the scenes to enable us to compete and play this game we love.
“The game has taken me to places across the globe – and the passionate support and energy of the fans has always been a constant.
“And ofcourse none of all this would have been possible or meaningful without the innumerable sacrifices and steadfast support of my family my parents, my wife Puja, my daughter Aditi; my in-laws and the rest of my extended family – who have made this journey truly worth it,” added Pujara.
