Seasoned Indian batter Cheteshwar Pujara has made his position clear—he wishes to be in the Indian team for the five-match Test series against England. With India starting their new cycle of the World Test Championship (WTC) in June after their Champions Trophy victory, Pujara has made it very clear to the Ajit Agarkar-led selection panel that he is ready for a comeback if offered a chance.
Pujara’s Last India Show & Selection Snub
The last game that Pujara represented India was during the 2023 WTC final against Australia at The Oval. But after that, the selection committee under the leadership of Ajit Agarkar chose to move in direction of youngsters and overlooked Pujara. His name came up in discussion for a call-up before India’s Test tour of Australia but selectors followed their long-term thought process and left him out.
Pujara More Than Read To Grab The Opportunity
“Yes, of course. As a cricketer, you always want to play for the Indian team. And I am doing whatever I can to achieve that success. If the team needs me, I’m definitely ready. I’ve been playing domestic cricket. I’ve been playing county cricket for the last couple of years. I’ve been scoring heavily in the domestic circuit. So if given an opportunity, yes, I’ll be more than ready to grab it with both hands,” Pujara said to RevSportz
Pujara’s Blunt Statement On India’s Australia Tour
The 37-year-old batter mentioned that if he was named in the squad for Border-Gavaskar Trophy, India would have achieved a historic hat-trick of Test series victories in Australia. His faith is rooted in his extensive experience and previous performances overseas, especially in England and Australia.
Yes, I was very confident. If I was there, then we wanted to make a hat trick. So I wouldn’t deny that.”
India’s Failures in England & Their Upcoming Big Challenge
India historically struggled to achieve Test success in England, winning only three series from 19 tours since they first visited the country in 1932. The most recent victory was in 2007, with India narrowly missing another success in 2021 before the final Test was canceled following a Covid outbreak among the Indian camp. When the match was finally staged in 2022, England triumphed, sharing the series 2-2.
Pujara Hopeful Of India’s Prospects in England
“This Indian team definitely has a very good chance. Even if you look at the England bowling lineup, they are slightly weaker after Anderson has retired, and Stuart Broad is not there anymore in the playing XI.”
Even though India has been struggling in English conditions, Pujara is hopeful that the team can break their losing streak this time. He feels the present England team is not as good as they used to be, which provides India with a golden chance to write history.
