Sussex captain Cheteshwar Pujara has done it again. India's no.3 batter is warming up nicely for the World Test Championship (WTC) 2021-23 final against Australia, Pujara scored 151 against Gloucestershire at County Ground, Bristol in the ongoing County Championship Division Two 2023.
This was Pujara’s seventh hundred for Sussex and second of the season. He scored 151 from 238 balls at a strike rate of 63.45. His knock was studded with 20 fours and two sixes. He shared crucial partnership with James Coles and wicketkeeper-batter Oliver Carter to post 455/5 before declaring.
Pujara’s overnight score was 97. On Day 3, he breached the three figures with a boundary off Marchant de Lange. He took 187 deliveries to reach the milestone. Pujara smashed Graeme van Buuren for three consecutive fours to get to his 150. The 35-year-old lost his wicket to Gloucestershire pacer De Lange.
In the previous encounter against Yorkshire, he could not score big and registered scores of 13, 18 in first and second innings respectively. In Sussex's season opener against Durham, he scored 115 in the first innings. Sussex ended up winning the match by two runs.
Earlier this month, Pujara credited his Sussex stint for his comeback into the Test team. Pujara was dropped from the side after an extended rut. After five centuries in a single season followed by a good display in One-Day Cup, he got the no.3 spot back.
"It has (rejuvenated my career). If we look at last season, I was out of the Indian team and needed some runs to get back into the side. I got the right platform here, scored a few runs and got back into the team. There's nothing like playing for the Indian team but Sussex has given me that opportunity and I'll never forget that," Pujara had said.
"The weather is much better here. The sun is out most of the time. The environment is really nice. If you look at the crowd, whenever they come, they support us. I feel whenever there is a young team, they are always motivated to keep working on their game, keep learning, and keep pushing themselves, and yes, I enjoy being in this environment," he added.
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