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Cheteshwar Pujara has continued his stellar run in County Cricket with another double century. Stand-in skipper Pujara led from the front and scored 231 to etch his name in history books. Pujara surpassed former Indian skipper Mohammad Azharuddin who had scored two double centuries for Derbyshire. Now, Pujara has three double tons for Sussex. He is only behind Nawab of Pataudi Sr who holds the record for most double centuries by Indians in County Championship.
Earlier, Pujara had equalled Azharuddin's record of most centuries in County Championship. This is Pujara's eighth century in England First-Class cricket.
After 18 years, a batter has scored three double centuries in a single season. Brad Hodge achieved the feat in 2004. Before Hodge, Michael Hussey (2001), Mark Ramprakash (1995), Alvin Kallicharran (1982), Pieter Kirsten (1980), Viv Richards (1977), Joe Hardstaff (1947) and Bill Eldrich (1947) have done it as well.
Pujara came in to bat at no.4 for Sussex on Day 1. Tom Alsop and Pujara shared a 219-run partnership to help Sussex get in a good position. Pujara reached his century on Day 1 itself. On Day 2, Sussex's middle-order crumbled. From 318/2, they were reduced to 346/6. Pujara then stitched a crucial partnership with Danial Ibrahim who scored 36 runs.
After Ibrahim's wicket, Pujara batted with the tail and got to his double ton. He took the aggressive route as well and hit a few sixes. Pujara was the last player to get out. He scored 231 runs from 403 deliveries. His record knock was studded with 21 fours and three sixes. He batted for nearly nine hours and helped Sussex post 523 in the first innings against Middlesex.
Recently, Pujara had made a comeback into the Indian Test side on the back of his performances in County Cricket. In the absence of Covid-affected Rohit Sharma, Pujara opened the innings in the rescheduled fifth Test at Edgbaston, Birmingham. He did not do well in the first innings but scored a half-century in the second innings.
For Middlesex, Tom Helm took a fifer. Umesh Yadav bowled 29 overs, bowled five maidens but remained wicketless.
