Cheteshwar Pujara turns 33: Indian cricketers wish 'The Rock of Rajkot' on his birthday
Indian batsman Cheteshwar Pujara is celebrating his 33rd birthday on January 25, 2021, and countless wishes have been pouring in for him all day.
Pujara recently returned from Australia after a grueling Test series against the hosts. He played a vital role in the Indian cricket team's historic triumph Down Under.
Pujara was one of the few Indian players who played all four Tests in the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. His defensive technique frustrated the Aussies and allowed other Indian batsmen to attack the opposition bowlers, resulting in the team's success.
Dinesh Karthik, Umesh Yadav, and other Indian cricketers wish Cheteshwar Pujara on his 33rd birthday
Although Cheteshwar Pujara has been a regular part of the Indian Test team for over a decade, his name has never popped up in any controversy. It shows Pujara's sincerity, and this quality has helped him earn his teammates and opponents' respect.
Many cricketers took to social media to wish Cheteshwar Pujara on his special day. Here are some of the top wishes.
How Cheteshwar Pujara has become the Indian team's 'Mr. Dependable' in Test cricket
In the last 11 years, Cheteshwar Pujara has played 81 Tests for the Indian cricket team, amassing 6,111 runs at an excellent average of 47.74. The critics have often questioned his scoring rate.
However, without his 50 (176), 77 (205), 56 (211), and 25 (94) in the last two Tests against Australia, the Indian cricket team would not have pulled off a 2-1 series win.
His defense tires out the opposition bowlers and gives the Indian team an upper hand. While Pujara had the second-lowest strike rate among the Indian batsmen in the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, he ended the series as the visitors' second-highest run-getter.
Very few modern-era batsmen can play Test cricket the way Pujara does. Even if Team India lose their openers early, Cheteshwar Pujara can save the innings by slowing down the game's pace. Thus, he has rightfully earned the nicknames, 'The Rock of Rajkot' and 'Mr. Dependable.'