103-Test Veteran Makes Case For Selection In Border-Gavaskar Trophy After Scoring 234 Runs In Ranji Trophy

103-Test veteran Cheteshwar Pujara, who last played a red-ball match for India in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023 final against Australia at the Oval in June last year, made a case for selection in India’s Test squad for the upcoming five-match series against Australia by scoring a double century in the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 match on Monday (October 21).

The 36-year-old right-handed batter, who has 7195 runs to his name in 103 Tests played so far, came out to bat at No. 3 for Saurashtra in the Elite Group D match against Chhattisgarh in Rajkot and, with the help of 25 fours and one six, scored 234 runs from 383 balls.

His double century was, however, not enough for Saurashtra to take the first inning lead over the visitors and secure three points at least from the match.

The 234-run knock on Monday helped Pujara move to the No. 4 position in the list of batters with most double centuries in First Class cricket. He has 18 double centuries to his name now. The overall record of most 200s in FC cricket is held by legendary Australian cricketer Donald Bradman. During his playing days, Bradman scored 37 double-hundreds.

Most 200s in First Class cricket

• Donald Bradman (Australia) – 37
• Walter Hammond (England) – 36
• Elias Hendren (England) – 22
• Cheteshwar Pujara (India) – 18
• Herbert Sutcliffe (England) – 17
• Mark Ramprakash (England) – 17
• Charles Fry (England) – 16
• Jack Hobbs (England) – 16
• Graeme Hick (England) – 16
• Kumar Ranjitsinhji (England) – 14
• Gordon Greenidge (West Indies) – 14

Pujara, who was the hero of India’s first-ever Test series win in Australia during the 2018-19 tour, is still hopeful about making a comeback for India. He has a very good record in Tests against the Baggy Greens.

In 25 matches played so far against the 2023 WTC winners, Pujara has scored 2074 runs at an average of 49.38. He is one of the five Indian batters to cross the 2000-run mark against Australia in Tests.

In 11 red-ball matches played on Australian soil, Pujara has 993 runs to his name, which he has scored at an average of 47.28. He played in all four matches of the 2020-21 edition of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and finished as the second leading run scorer for the Indian team.

Pujara will look to maintain his good form with the bat in the upcoming matches as well to secure a place in India’s jumbo Test squad for the tour Down Under.