'A lot of people have taken him for granted': Dinesh Karthik reacts to Cheteshwar Pujara's sudden retirement after back-to-back snub

India's Test stalwart Cheteshwar Pujara officially announced his retirement from all forms of Indian cricket on Sunday, August 24. Widely regarded as one of the most resilient and dependable players of his era in the longest format, Pujara's retirement has sparked considerable discussion.

Dinesh Karthik on Cheteshwar Pujara's shocking retirement

Despite his immense contributions, the veteran batsman did not receive a farewell match, a decision that has drawn sharp criticism from former cricketers and commentators, including Dinesh Karthik. As fans honored Pujara for his countless match-saving innings, experts have highlighted how his ability to bat for extended periods created opportunities for his teammates, both at home and abroad.

Pujara's unwavering patience and resilience, particularly during India's historic Border-Gavaskar Trophy victories in Australia in 2018-19 and 2020-21, exhausted some of the world's top fast bowlers, paving the way for India's more aggressive players to dominate. In response to Pujara's retirement, Karthik has indirectly criticised India's team management as he feels a lot of people took the veteran batter for granted and undervalued his immense grit and hard work.

“A lot of people have actually sometimes taken Pujara for granted,” Karthik said during a conversation on Cricbuzz.

Cheteshwar Pujara's storied Test career

Pujara concluded his illustrious Test career at the age of 37. Over 103 Test matches, he accumulated 7,195 runs at an average of 43.60, including 19 centuries and 35 half-centuries. The 37-year-old's debut came against Australia in Bengaluru in October 2010, where he scored a gritty 72 in the second innings after a first-innings four. His final Test appearance was also against Australia, at The Oval in the 2023 World Test Championship final.

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Pujara is one of only 14 Indian cricketers to have played 100 or more Test matches. This elite group includes legends such as Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Virat Kohli, and Sourav Ganguly. He ranks as India's eighth-highest run-scorer in Test history, trailing notable names like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and Virat Kohli.

Pujara's key records and achievements

Second-Highest at No. 3: Pujara is the second-highest run-scorer for India at the No. 3 position in Tests, scoring 6,488 runs with 18 centuries and 32 half-centuries. Only Rahul Dravid, with 10,381 runs, is ahead of him.

Dominance in Australia: Pujara's performance in the 2018-19 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series was legendary. He is the third-highest run-scorer for India in a Test series in Australia, with 521 runs from four matches. Only Virat Kohli (692 in 2014-15) and Rahul Dravid (619 in 2003-04) are ahead of him.

Fastest to 1,000 Runs: In 2013, Pujara became the third-fastest Indian batsman to reach 1,000 Test runs, achieving the feat in just 18 innings. Only Vinod Kambli (14) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (16) have reached this milestone faster.

Most Balls Faced: Pujara's incredible endurance is highlighted by his performance in the 2018-19 Australian tour, where he faced 1,258 balls over four matches, making him the fourth Indian batsman to face the most deliveries in a Test series.

Double Centuries: He holds the second spot for the most double centuries by an Indian No. 3 batsman in Test cricket, with three. Rahul Dravid leads this list with five double hundreds.