“My dream is to win WTC final,” Cheteshwar Pujara says ahead of his 100th Test match

Pujara also talked about the most challenging opponents, bowlers, and the knocks he played over his 13-year career.


“My dream is to win WTC final,” Cheteshwar Pujara says ahead of his 100th Test match

Cheteshwar Pujara

India’s middle-order batsman Cheteshwar Pujara is set to play his 100th Test match against Australia tomorrow- the same time against whom he made his debut in Bengaluru back in 2010. He will become the 13th Indian batter to reach the landmark.

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There is a lot more to achieve. I am definitely satisfied and really excited to play this hundredth Test match,” Pujara said in the pre-match press conference on Thursday ahead of the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.

But at the same time, we are playing an important series. So, hopefully, we win this Test match and move on to win another Test match which will ensure we will qualify for the WTC final. My dream is to win a WTC final for the Indian team, which did not happen in the last final. But hopefully, once we qualify, we move towards that,” he added.

Related: Cheteshwar Pujara growing from strength to strength after stint in County Cricket with Sussex

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Check how Twitter reacted to Cheteshwar Pujara’s 100th Test match

Cheteshwar Pujara
Cheteshwar Pujara

Pujara talked about the most challenging opponents, bowlers, and the knocks he played over his 13-year career. For him, Australia is the toughest team because they have a good fighting spirit, and he never gets easy runs. He further said that four of his best knocks have come against the Aussies.

He then talked about the most challenging bowlers he faced throughout his career. In English conditions, Jimmy Anderson is the toughest, Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel in South Africa, and Pat Cummins in Australian conditions.

Pujara then shed light on how a one-format player needs to keep practicing even though there is no series in one or two months. It helps to keep in touch with the game, explaining how important it is for a Test player to keep playing first-class cricket.

He then expressed gratitude for the support of his family, friends, and coaches throughout his life. His father Arvind, who has been his coach since he was a child, will be there in the stadium when Pujara will be playing his 100th Test match.

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In the 99 Test matches, Pujara has amassed 7021 runs at an average of 44.15, including 19 centuries and 34 half-centuries. Last year in five matches, Pujara scored 409 runs with a century and three fifties.

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