On August 24, Cheteshwar Pujara announced his retirement from all forms of Indian cricket. Wishes poured in from cricket fraternity as Pujara bid goodbye to an illustrious career. Pujara’s Saurashtra teammate, Jaydev Unadkat, recalled a time when he got a call from the batter telling him to go for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) trials. It was a decade and a half ago Pujara saw Unadkat in the nets and saw potential in him. The conversation led to a friendship that continues beyond the cricket field.
“Hi Jaydev, this is Cheteshwar. I have had a word with Dada and you have to go for KKR trials. You are bowling very well so keep it up!” Unadkat recalled as he wrote a message for Pujara on social media.
“This was our first conversation on phone after one of our ranji trophy nets where I was still a net bowler, back in 2010. Little did i know back then, that we would become best mates and share some of our finest memories, and not just on the field!”
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Unadkat also revealed the other side of Pujara. The left-arm pacer called the 38-year-old his senior and brother.
“Your grit and determination for the game is something that everyone talks about and will talk about for generations to come. And deservedly so. But there was that other side of you, the funnier/naughtier/louder side, where we fought (sometimes violently!) for every fifa battle and took the longest to play every hand at the cards game and argued on absolutely silly topics,” the 33-year-old continued.
“Today when you are putting an end to your illustrious career, I am super proud, although a bit emotional. I am super proud to call you my senior first, my colleague second, and my brother to round it all off!
“I can keep going on and on, writing and remembering about all those wonderful days. But I will save it till I also call it a day and then we can both sit and reminisce the good old days!
“For now, I just want to congratulate you, Puja & Arvind Uncle for a journey that is nothing short of a fairy-tale. You are and will be an inspiration for generations!
“Thank you, Chintu. See you soon.”
Pujara retires as India's eighth-highest run-scorer in Tests. He holds the record for most balls faced by an Indian batter in a Test innings.