Cheteshwar Pujara's defence deserves reels like Virat Kohli's cover drives: R Ashwin

Former India off-spinner R Ashwin said that Cheteshwar Pujara does not receive the credit he deserves for his contributions to Indian cricket, adding that the recently retired No. 3 batter ought to be celebrated far more. Ashwin was paying a glowing tribute to Pujara, who announced his retirement from all formats of the game on Sunday, 24 August, two years after playing his last Test for the senior national side.

Ashwin made a heartfelt appeal to fans, saying that cricketers such as Pujara deserve to be spoken about just as much as the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli. The off-spinner urged meme-makers on social media to create reels of Pujara’s defensive strokes as frequently as they do for Kohli’s cover drives, MS Dhoni’s helicopter shots, or Rohit Sharma’s pull shots. Leading by example, he shared a compilation of Pujara’s batting in England, set to a soothing track by Ilaiyaraaja.

Pujara ended his career as India’s eighth-highest run-scorer in Test cricket, amassing 7,195 runs in 103 matches. In an era when Test cricket increasingly tilted towards result-oriented pitches and conditions, Pujara placed his trust in classical technique and adhered to an old-fashioned brand of batting. He may not have been as flamboyant as some of his contemporaries, but he consistently found ways to succeed, often wearing down opposition attacks through sheer resilience.

“His batting looks like a symphony. We often see reels on social media of Virat Kohli’s cover drive, Rohit Sharma’s pull shot and M. S. Dhoni’s helicopter shot. But Pujara’s defence should also be featured in reels with stirring music. It looks like a symphony,” Ashwin said on his YouTube show.

OLD-FASHIONED TEST LEGEND

Ashwin noted that Pujara’s contributions, particularly on overseas tours, will endure the test of time. The 37-year-old was central to India’s historic first Test series victory in Australia in 2018–19. Over the course of that four-match series, Pujara scored 521 runs, facing 1,258 deliveries. He frustrated a world-class Australian attack and played a pivotal role in India’s 2–1 triumph.

In 2020–21, Pujara returned to Australia and once again wore down their highly regarded bowling unit. In the decisive Test at Brisbane, he absorbed countless body blows during a heroic innings of 56 from 211 balls, laying the platform for India’s successful chase of 328.

“His patience and his ability to grind bowlers down stood out. He is an old-fashioned Test legend, a massive legend of Indian cricket. His contribution is no less than that of anyone else. I would go so far as to say this openly: whether it is Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma, Pujara has contributed no less to Indian cricket than any of them,” Ashwin said.

“His contribution to Indian cricket has been phenomenal, and it will stand the test of time,” he added.

Ashwin and Pujara combined in many of India’s Test victories during what could rightly be described as a golden era under Virat Kohli’s captaincy. The pair featured together in 78 Tests between 2012 and 2023, of which India won 48.

Ashwin himself retired from Test cricket during the Border–Gavaskar Trophy in the 2024–25 season, making the announcement midway through the series.