Cheteshwar Pujara bounces back with half-century after duck on Yorkshire debut

Cheteshwar Pujara

Indian batsman Cheteshwar Pujara scored a patient half-century for his new county side, Yorkshire, against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge on the second day of their first division match in the County Championship. Nottinghamshire, who were asked to bat first, were bowled out for 428 and in reply, Yorkshire are 226 for 3 at the end of second day’s play, thanks to a brilliant hundred from Alex Lees and a knock of 57 from Pujara.

Pujara was eventually out off the bowling of discarded England left-arm spinner Samit Patel. In his innings of 57, he hit 9 boundaries and had a partnership of 116 for the second wicket with Lees, who was dismissed exactly on a hundred. 

The 27-year-old would be pleased with his effort on Monday after beginning his stint with Yorkshire with a duck against Worcestershire. The India Test No.3 was roped in by Yorkshire until the end of May as a late replacement for veteran Pakistan batsman Younis Khan. He went unsold at the Indian Premier League (IPL) auctions in February this year, thereby allowing him the opportunity to hone his skills in the longer format.

This stint with the current county champions should hold him in good stead and give him a chance to improve his overseas Test record in England and Australia in the future, which is currently patchy at best. In England, he aggregated 222 runs in 10 innings with a highest score of 55. In Australia, Pujara managed just 201 runs in 6 innings. The dip in form resulted in him being left out of the fourth Test in Sydney against Australia. 

Pujara has so far scored 6 centuries in 27 Tests for India. He averages 47.11 in Tests and 57.01 in first-class cricket.