Both the veterans were the backbone of India's middle-order batting for a long time now. So far, Pujara has represented India in 103 test matches and has scored 7,195 runs at an average of 43.60. He also has 19 centuries and 35 half-centuries. His highest score in the longest format of the game is 206*
Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara (Pic: File Pic
Former Indian opening batsman Akash Chopra on Saturday said that the doors to India's test team for middle-order batsmen Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane are closed. But Rahane's Indian Premier League career is still alive, he will be relevant for a longer time as he plays in the league for Chennai Super Kings (CSK), captained by MS Dhoni.
The Men's selection panel on Friday announced India's squad for the first two test matches against England. Team India is all set to clash with England for the five-match test series starting from January 25. Rahane and Pujara failed to make the cut in the Indian test squad.
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On his YouTube channel, Chopra said, "The squad is along the expected lines. We had expected Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara not to be there. I feel that chapter is closed. If you did not pick them in South Africa, that was the last opportunity to pick them. If you did not pick them there, you are not going back to them."
"Ajinkya Rahane's IPL career is alive, so he will stay relevant a little more because you become a part of the conversation whenever you do well in the IPL. It is not important to play in Chennai. Playing for Chennai is important because Dhoni is there," added Chopra.
Both the veterans were the backbone of India's middle-order batting for a long time now. So far, Pujara has represented India in 103 test matches and has scored 7,195 runs at an average of 43.60. He also has 19 centuries and 35 half-centuries. His highest score in the longest format of the game is 206*. Previously, Cheteshwar Pujara also featured in five ODIs for India.
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Playing 85 tests for India, Rahane has also accumulated 5,077 runs at an average of 38.46. He also has 12 centuries and 26 half-centuries registered to his name. His highest test score is 188 runs.
However, since India's historic win over Australia at The Gabba in Brisbane in January 2021, their statistics have taken a huge nosedive. After the famous Gabba win, Pujara donned India's test jersey in 22 matches and scored 1,084 runs at an average of 29.29. In 40 test innings, Pujara registered just one century and seven half-centuries.
Rahane also struggled to score in test cricket after the Gabba win. In 16 tests, he scored just 606 runs at an average of 22.44 including just four half-centuries in 27 innings. But Rahane had a great IPL 2023 with CSK, scoring 326 runs in 11 innings at an average of 32.60 and a massive strike rate of 172.48. He also scored two explosive half-centuries. Another IPL season like this could help Rahane stick around slightly longer than Pujara, who last played an IPL match back in 2014.
Akash Chopra also said that despite being out of favour with the national team, Pujara will continue scoring runs in first-class cricket, as he scores them for the love he has for batting. Chopra also backed Pujara to score 100 first-class centuries. Pujara had slammed 243* against Jharkhand for Saurashtra in the Ranji Trophy just last week.
"Cheteshwar Pujara scored a double century last week. He is the saint of cricket. He will keep scoring because he does not score runs only for selection. Half the world scores runs for selection. He plays cricket just because he likes batting," said Chopra.
"He scores runs because he likes scoring runs. So Cheteshwar Pujara will continue to score runs and break all records in first-class cricket. I think he has already scored 61 first-class centuries. He will make 100; he will not stop; he will not retire at all," concluded Chopra.
Pujara has an incredible first-class record. In 258 matches, he has scored 19,812 runs at an average of 52.00, with 61 centuries and 77 half-centuries in 426 innings. His best score is 352.
(With ANI Inputs)
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