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During the third-round Ranji Trophy clash between Saurashtra and Vidarbha at the VCA Stadium, seasoned cricketer Cheteshwar Pujara demonstrated his batting expertise, achieving an impressive half-century and crossing the 20,000 first-class run milestone. At 35 years old and known for his steadfast presence at the crease, Pujara compiled a solid 66 runs off 137 deliveries. His innings, however, was curtailed when he was dismissed leg before wicket by Harsh Dubey. In the first innings, Pujara had scored 43 runs.
List of Indian batters with 20,000 runs in First-Class cricket:
Sunil Gavaskar: 25,834
Sachin Tendulkar: 25,396
Rahul Dravid: 23,794
Cheteshwar Pujara: 20,013
Previously, in a match against Jharkhand, Pujara exhibited his relentless pursuit of runs, scoring his 17th double-century in first-class cricket. His unbeaten knock of 243 off 356 balls was instrumental in Saurashtra's commanding declaration at 578/4, establishing a substantial lead over Jharkhand's 142 in the first innings. Pujara's performance, marked by his deft handling of spinners and precision in shot execution, included 30 boundaries, underscoring his skill with the bat.
This latest double century in the Ranji Trophy not only accounts for Pujara's eighth in the tournament but also his 17th in first-class cricket, aligning him with cricket legends like Herbert Sutcliffe and Mark Ramprakash. Only the iconic Don Bradman, Wally Haymond, and Patsy Hendren have more double centuries than him in this format. Despite being out of India's Test squad since the 2023 World Test Championship final, Pujara has continued to prove his batting prowess.
With Shubman Gill currently occupying the No. 3 position for India in Tests, Pujara's exceptional performance could reignite his prospects of an international comeback. As India prepares for the upcoming challenging 5-match Test series against England, Pujara's timely resurgence in domestic cricket adds a fascinating dimension to the team's composition.
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