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In terms of overall performance, although Pujara may have played for a shorter amount of time—13 years as opposed to Dravid's 16—he has scored 50% less runs. Dravid has 13288 runs from 286 innings, whereas Pujara has 7195 runs from 176 innings, averaging 43 runs per inning.
Cheteshwar Pujara is only 35 years old. It's no longer a time where the selectors' axe necessarily spells the end because advances in sports science, nutrition, and recuperation techniques have made those fields so much more sophisticated than they were three or four decades ago.
The chances of a return, however, appear slim because KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer are expected to return from injuries and because Yashasvi Jaiswal or Ruturaj Gaikwad are likely to take advantage of their opportunity. The fact that Pujara has played in only one format for so long doesn't help. He simply doesn't participate in any high-profile games outside of Tests where he might stand out enough to affect selection.
How will he be remembered if his Test career, which started in October 2010, ends now? He played before Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ajinkya Rahane by a very long shot. Pujara's career started at a bad time, no doubt about that.
Even though many questioned whether someone could fill Sachin Tendulkar's shoes at No. 4, Kohli had the charisma power and an alluring game to carve out his own niche. Pujara's challenge of succeeding Rahul Dravid was, in many respects, even more difficult.
Rahul Dravid appears to be superior to Cheteshwar Pujara in the majority of the categories, according to an examination of their combined stats. In Test cricket, "The Wall" averages 52, which is greater than Pujara's mark of 46.
Additionally, Dravid has recorded 99 fifty-plus scores in 286 innings, which is to one per three innings. Pujara, on the other hand, has 47 fifty-plus scores in 142 innings, which equates to one every three innings. Pujara and Dravid both have slightly higher strike rates than average. When comparing the two batsmen's overall numbers, Dravid is undeniably much ahead of Pujara.
Cheteshwar Pujara in some respects paid the price for being born in the wrong time period and choosing to bat at the incorrect position. He lacked the style of Greg Chappell or Zaheer Abbas, nor was he an enforcer like Viv Richards (12 centuries and an average of 61.54 at No. He was a quiet man off the pitch as well, uneasy in front of the camera or on social media.
The fact that Pujara was dropped while Dravid and the rest of his coaching team work to restore their reputations is also more than a little ironic. They all mentioned how much Pujara was appreciated in the locker room and in difficult circumstances, whether it was Ravi Shastri, Anil Kumble, or Dravid himself.
However, he was always the most disposable since he lacked Rohit's personality, Kohli's attractiveness, or Rahane's many displays of leadership ability. Whatever way you look at it, he has had a fantastic career. 7,195 runs, 19 centuries, and an average of 43 don't offend you. But Pujara leaves a trail of remorse if this is his final appearance in Test cricket.
Exceptional work, but not nearly legendary. In many ways, David's successor, although not quite on par with him in the marquee matches. Pujara still has time to work on his game, and he will still face obstacles playing for his nation against whites in the future. However, Dravid currently has an advantage over Cheteshwar Pujara records.
FAQs
What is Cheteshwar Pujara's role in the Indian Test cricket team?
Cheteshwar Pujara is often regarded as the team's anchor in Test cricket.
When did Cheteshwar Pujara make his first Test appearance?
In his 2010 Test debut against Australia in Bengaluru, Cheteshwar Pujara's impactful 72-run innings aided India's 2-0 series sweep.
