Former Indian all-rounder Karsan Ghavri recently stated that Cheteshwar Pujara is extremely likely to declare his retirement from international cricket owing to anger at not being able to secure a berth in the Test system despite his expertise. With immediate effect, Pujara recently hung up his boots from all forms of cricket. He last participated in an international match in June 2023.
The 74-year-old Ghavri also compared elite batsmen Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to have retired from Test cricket for the same reason. According to Ghavri, the BCCI made no attempt to signal the end of the careers of the great cricket players, and all three of them deserved at least a final Test.
“It’s possible, he may have retired out of frustration. After representing the country for so long, if a player is not getting chances, anyone will be frustrated. Similarly, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma must have felt that frustration too before the recent England tour. The BCCI may have their own ideas, but ultimately, the player suffers. These players are not demanding crores of rupees. It’s all about honour and they all deserved that farewell Test, 110 per cent,” stated Ghavri, as quoted by Mid-Day.
Ghavri, who also hails from Pujara’s hometown of Rajkot, believes the 37-year-old contributed as much to Test cricket for India as Kohli and Rohit, highlighting the importance of a farewell for players who have played 100 or more games.
“All those who have played 100 Tests, should be honoured with a farewell match. The BCCI should have given that honour to Kohli, Rohit and Pujara as they thoroughly deserved it considering their huge contribution to the game. No one wants to end their career like this. If someone has represented the country in 100 or more Tests, it is most definitely a sizeable contribution. He [Pujara] belongs to that distinguished list of players.”
Karsan Ghavri
Cheteshwar Pujara represented India in 103 Test matches, totaling 176 innings. With 35 fifties and 19 hundreds, he amassed 7195 runs at an average of 43.60. Known for his perseverance and patient style of batsmanship, he also achieved three double hundreds during his storied career. The 37-year-old’s time with the national setup has included a number of tough and gutsy innings.
