16th edition of Indian Premier League (IPL) is currently underway where all the leading Indian cricketers are busy playing. However, it’s all about India’s Test specialists away from T20 cricket. Cheteshwar Pujara The bat is shining in preparation for the second consecutive final of the World Test Championship (WTC). India is set to face Australia in the WTC final in England in June this year. Pujara will be crucial to India’s fortunes batting at number three against a well-oiled Australian bowling unit.
Returning to his impressive innings, Pujara led from the front with the bat for Sussex as they bailed the team out of trouble in the ongoing County Championship. He came out to bat with the team’s score at 44/2 and was soon reduced to 91/4. However, Pujara stood firm and played a brilliant innings ensuring runs from one end. He smashed his 57th first-class century in the first innings against Durham at the County Ground in Hove to help the team recover and almost equalize.
He scored 115 off 163 balls with 13 fours and a six before being dismissed by Ben Raine as the team’s score was 245. Pujara’s resistance also inspired Sussex’s lower-order batsmen to hang in the middle as he frustrated the opposition bowlers. They ended the day at 332/9 for the last wicket, adding 18 runs so far between Nathan McAndrew and Henry Crocombe.
Earlier in the game, Durham managed to put on 376 runs on the board with their batsmen playing aggressive cricket. The openers added 142 runs for the first wicket and at 213/1 looked like they would run away with the game. But McAndrew surprised the opposition by taking five wickets with his bowling. His performance saw Durham bundled out for 376 in only 80.2 overs. Meanwhile, Pujara will have the task of chasing down later in the game and will be keen to take his side home with the bat.