At the launch of The Diary of a Cricketer’s Wife , written by Cheteshwar Pujara’s wife Puja, Rohit Sharma shared a funny story from their 2012 tour to the West Indies. Both were part of the India A team back then, and this incident happened in Trinidad and Tobago.

Rohit brought up the moment and asked Pujara if it was mentioned in the book. Pujara smiled and said, “She knows about it, but not all the details.” When the host heard it wasn’t in the book, he asked them to share the full story.

Pujara said, “I’m a vegetarian, so one night around 11 pm, we went out looking for vegetarian food. We couldn’t find anything, but on our way back, I got mobbed by fans. I can’t share all the details, but that’s the story Rohit is talking about.”

Rohit laughed and added, “The moral of the story is Pujara can be very stubborn. We told him not to go out late at night, especially not after 9 pm in the West Indies. But he didn’t listen.”

#WATCH | Mumbai: At the launch of Indian Cricketer Cheteshwar Pujara's wife Puja Pujara's book 'The Diary of a Cricketer's Wife', Indian Cricketer Rohit Sharma, says "...Since day one, my father has been a test cricket fan. He doesn't like this new age cricket. I still remember… pic.twitter.com/0hGpfieTaf

— ANI (@ANI) June 5, 2025

Rohit also praised Pujara for his fighting spirit. He said it was amazing how Pujara played over 100 Test matches despite having serious injuries in both knees at the start of his career. He remembered the early days of playing against Pujara, saying, “Our team meetings were all about how to get him out. If we didn’t get him early, we knew we’d probably lose.”

ALSO READ: [WATCH] ENG vs IND 2025: Team India touches down in London to an empty airport welcome

Rohit shared another memory from his teenage years: “I was 14 when I first played against him. I used to leave for matches looking normal and return home looking totally tanned and tired. My mom even asked me why I looked so different. I told her, ‘There’s this guy, Pujara, who just keeps batting for three days straight.’ That’s how strong his game was.” Pujara has played 103 Tests for India, scoring 7,195 runs with 19 centuries and 35 fifties. Though he hasn’t retired, his last Test was in June 2023.

Indian batter Cheteshwar Pujara and the former Indian Test skipper Rohit Sharma are well known for their exploits on the field. While the former's excellence is centered around class and resilience, the latter maintains a slightly aggressive approach and tends to dominate the opposition bowlers with brute force. The two Indian legends are now at the twilight phase of their career. However, only a very few are aware of their rather strange off-the-field episodes. 

During the launch of "The Diary of a Cricketer's Wife: A Very Unusual Memoir", written by Pujara's wife, Pujara was engaged in an active conversation with a renowned TV anchor. Rohit was also invited to be a part of the discussion along with legendary Indian leg-spinner Anil Kumble. Reflecting on their primitive years in Test cricket, Rohit rewinds the clock to the 2012 India A's Test tour to the Caribbean to reveal a shocking incident that was faced by the duo.  

See also: Mitchell Starc explains his decision to skip Delhi Capitals return for IPL 2025 resumption

The former Indian Test skipper asked Pujara whether there was any mention of that incident in the book. Pujara started off by saying that his wife was unaware of the grave nature of the incident, but admitted that she knew a few details about it. The 38-year-old then dropped a bombshell by admitting that he was robbed on his way back to the hotel at around 11 PM. Being a pure vegetarian, Pujara was on the lookout for a pure veg restaurant. The Indian team at the time was based in Trinidad and Tobago.

He, along with Rohit, started off exploring options in the vicinity, but to no avail. While returning, he confessed that he had been robbed along the way but refused to share further details. Upon hearing this, Puja, Pujara's wife, was slightly taken aback and laughed in disbelief.  

Watch the video of Pujara explaining incident at West Indies:

Rohit Sharma and Cheteshwar Pujara share shocking incident about not going out after 9 pm in West Indies.😳 pic.twitter.com/iMsXwGGJWe

— 𝐑𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐢𝐢⁴⁵ (@rushiii_12) June 7, 2025

Later in the conversation, Rohit stepped in and revealed that Pujara was warned not to wander around at night. Despite repeated warnings, his stubbornness took precedence and soon enough, he found out that it was indeed to venture out late in the night if you are in the Caribbean. Thankfully, he was physically unharmed and returned safe without any damage. But the scars of that incident must have certainly dented him psychologically.  

Cheteshwar Pujara opened up about his thoughts on Test cricket in modern times. Currently, the craze for the T20s and limited overs format often results in empty stadiums in Test matches. Test matches in subcontinent regions saw a significant dip in terms of live audiences in the stadium.

For which many experts believed the batting style in the longest format of the game can influence the visitors. On the other hand, the amount of success India got in the limited overs of cricket in recent times did not manage to achieve the same in the Tests.

 India, with so many talents in cricket, lacks a bunch of players who can perform significantly across all formats. Batter, who did well in T20s and ODIs, had struggled visibly in whites. Cheteshwar Pujara shared his thoughts about how to bat in Tests.

Read More: IND vs ENG Test 2025 Live Streaming: How to watch India vs England Test matches on TV and mobile

According to the right-handed batter, it is not necessary to bat with a low strike rate even in Tests; if the surface is flat and easy to bat on, batters can open their arms and score runs with good strike rates as well. How to bat on Tests mostly depends on the circumstances and how the bowler is delivering.

Pujara explained how to bat in Tests

Pujara said in a conversation, "Saying that only aggressive cricket can take Test matches forward isn’t entirely true. The real key to success in tests is playing according to the situation. That doesn’t always mean slowing down—sometimes, you should be scoring at an 80 or even 100 strike rate, especially on a flat wicket, but when conditions are tough and the bowlers are on top, you’ve got to respect that."

He further added, "It’s about absorbing pressure when needed and cashing in when the moment’s right. That’s especially important in places like SENA countries, where the new ball can be a real handful. Reading the game is everything."

On Saturday (May 24), the Men’s Selection Committee selected an 18-member Indian senior men’s Test squad for the upcoming England tour, where they will play a five-match Test series. Here, we are going through the unselected India XI for the England tour. 

India will start their 2025-2027 ICC World Test Championship journey with the five-match Test series in England. Due to the recent retirement of Test captain Rohit Sharma and legendary cricketer Virat Kohli, along with legendary off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, India have some new Test faces along with special comebacks. 

India tour of England 2025: Key Indian squad facts

Sai Sudharsan and Arshdeep Singh are the new faces in Indian Test cricket, while Karun Nair and Shardul Thakur have returned to the Test squad. Meanwhile, Shubman Gill has been selected as the new Test captain, while Rishabh Pant is set to play his deputy role in the red-ball format.

India tour of England 2025: Top unselected Indian players

Meanwhile, we are missing some strong names in the Indian Test squad for the upcoming England tour. Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara are the two strong names who could take important responsibilities with their strong experiences, especially when we miss Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. 

Shreyas Iyer, who has played 14 Tests, is also an important name on the missing list. His last Test was the 2024 Visakhapatnam Test against England. 

See Also: IND vs ENG: Why Shreyas Iyer was not selected in India’s Test squad for England tour?

Two-Test experienced Ishan Kishan is another strong name to miss the England tour, along with Ruturaj Gaikwad, who is yet to make his Test debut. Sarfaraz Khan, who made his Test debut during the England tour of India 2024-25 season and has played six Tests, has been dropped from the Test squad.  

Anshul Kamboj is a special pace-bowling all-rounder, who was in the news in November 2024 after becoming the third Ranji Trophy bowler to record a 10-wicket haul in an innings. The 24-year-old has huge potential. Axar Patel, with 14-Test experience, is also missing from the Test squad.

Among the pacers, we are missing Khaleel Ahmed and Harshit Rana, along with the veteran Mohammed Shami, whose fitness is reportedly still a concern for Test cricket. Khaleel is yet to make his Test debut, while Harshit has played two Tests after making his debut during India's tour of Australia last season.  

Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan, Sarfaraz Khan, Anshul Kamboj, Harshit Rana, and Khaleel Ahmed are set to travel to England earlier in the Test series as a part of the India A squad. So, any of them can join the Indian Test squad during the upcoming England tour. 

Unselected India XI vs England

Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Shreyas Iyer, Ajinkya Rahane, Sarfaraz Khan, Axar Patel, Anshul Kamboj, Mohammed Shami, Harshit Rana, Khaleel Ahmed 

Cheteshwar Pujara, arguably India's most reliable Test batsman in recent times, has his all-time Indian Test XI in a chat with Sports Tak. In a lineup replete with legendary names, Pujara took some surprising decisions, most prominently by opting for MS Dhoni over the swashbuckling Rishabh Pant as the wicket-keeper and by not including iconic former captain Sourav Ganguly at all. At 37, the Saurashtra veteran explained that while picking between Pant and Dhoni was a tough call, he felt Dhoni’s leadership, calmness, and glovework gave him the edge.

"I had to pick between MS Dhoni and Rishabh Pant, and though Pant is developing nicely, the legacy of Dhoni stands above all. He's the captain of this team," said Pujara. While being asked why he did not mention himself, Pujara modestly acknowledged that he feels Rahul Dravid should get the No. 3 position. "He's clearly the better player," said Pujara, putting the current head coach of India above his own Test contribution.

Cheteshwar Pujara picks his All Time India Test XI: (Sports Tak).

- Gavaskar, Sehwag, Dravid, Sachin, Virat Kohli, Laxman, MS Dhoni, Kapil Dev, Kumble, Ashwin, Bumrah. pic.twitter.com/zgPil9G641

— Tanuj (@ImTanujSingh) May 23, 2025

Also read: ENG vs ZIM: Who is Ben Curran representing Zimbabwe in one off against England?

An All-time Great XI with Balance & Experience

Pujara's dream XI features the ideal opener, combining hard-hitting Virender Sehwag with technically explosive Sunil Gavaskar, a perfect right-hand-left-hand opener's combination. No. 3 is Rahul Dravid to provide a bit of grit and a lot of reliability, and then Sachin Tendulkar's genius comes in at No. 4. At No. 5 and No. 6, Pujara has gone with Pujara also picks Virat Kohli with VVS Laxman; they are two of India's match-winners, and more importantly, both seem as if they were born to make big innings and attack bowls as if they practiced explosions at fire-time.

Pujara has chosen MS Dhoni to keep as well as captain. The strike force is an extraordinary package of pacers and spinners. Kapil Dev will give old-school swing and balance of an all-rounder; Jasprit Bumrah raw pace and accuracy; and lastly, utilizing his spin twin's Anil Kumble and Ravichandran Ashwin makes southern success a certainty.

This dream XI endorses the wonderful heritage of Indian cricket, bringing together legends from different fronts and eras into a fantasy Test XI of extreme diversity, wont, and iconic success.

Cheteshwar Pujara is currently out of the Indian Test team. He has not been part of the squad since the World Test Championship final against Australia in 2023. India will tour England next month, but it looks unlikely that Pujara will be selected. However, the batsman has said that he is not available for selection.

Pujara made his Test debut in 2010 during the series against Australia. His career has spanned over 13 years, but he never got the chance to lead the Indian team as captain.

In a recent interview with a well-known Indian media channel, Pujara broke his silence on this matter. Along with his views on not getting the captaincy, he also shared his thoughts on the leadership styles of Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Ajinkya Rahane, and Rohit Sharma.

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Pujara said in a recent interview with a popular media outlet that he is not sad about not getting the captaincy. He believes in his own ability. Pujara said, "Captaincy is something that, if given to you, you take up that role. If it’s not given, you don’t go and ask for it.

Whenever I have captained—whether it was India A or Sussex, where I helped the team move from Division Two to Division One—I played the role of a senior player. Even in the Saurashtra team, I have led before. I understand what is needed as a captain and what ability is required.

So, whether you are the captain or not doesn’t matter. What matters is how you support the team, how you give input, and how you help. That’s more important. I have no sorrow or regret about not getting the captaincy."

Cheteshwar Pujara On His Bonding With Rohit Sharma ❤️. pic.twitter.com/CcsyQaIgoD

— 𝐉𝐨𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐞 (@jod_insane) May 23, 2025

What Pujara Said About Dhoni, Kohli, and Rohit’s Captaincy

Cheteshwar Pujara made his Test debut in 2010 under the captaincy of Mahendra Singh Dhoni. After that, he played under the leadership of Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, and Rohit Sharma.

Talking about playing under four different captains, Pujara said, "My debut was under Mahi bhai (MS Dhoni). It was a special feeling. He always stayed calm. He could tell from a player’s body language how they were feeling. He would simply say—Don’t take too much tension, just play the way you always do.

Then, Virat became captain. He was aggressive and always wanted to win every match. With Virat, there was a strong desire to go out and win series abroad.

When I played under Ajinkya Rahane’s captaincy, he was also calm. I was the vice-captain then, and we used to talk a lot about the game. Then Rohit Sharma became captain. He speaks openly and shares whatever is on his mind.”

The Indian Cricket team will fully begin the preparation for the Test cricket against England once the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) ends. Cricket fans are curious whether senior players like Cheteshwar Pujara will again be seen on the pitch in the red-ball format or not.

Cheteshwar Pujara has been one of the finest Indian Test cricketers, who has played 103 matches and scored 7,195 runs with the bat at an average of 43.60. Despite giving a strong performance in domestic cricket, it seems that the fine batter is still being overlooked in the red-ball format.

Indian veteran batter Cheteshwar Pujara hasn't played any test for India since the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia at The Oval in June 2023, where team India lost the final match.

Cheteshwar Pujara Eyes Test Comeback Ahead of England Tour

Speaking about India's next tour against the Englishmen starting next month, the 37-year-old said that he is completely prepared and confident from his side if Team India needs him. Following this, he also said that he would grab the opportunity if it comes his way.

"If the team needs and I get the opportunity, I am prepared from my end. I have been working on my physical fitness, performing well in the country and domestic tournaments. Team India has been quite competitive, but has not won a series in England for around 20 years now, so given an opportunity, I would like to give the best from my end and grab the opportunity if the team needs me. This would be the perfect opportunity to contribute when a win is much needed in England," Pujara said.

The Indian Cricket team will tour England next month after the Indian Premier League 2025. Both teams will play a 5-match Test series starting from 20th June onwards. This test series will also be the beginning of a new World Test Championship cycle for India.

"When one has been successful at the highest level and played more than 100 Test matches and are still not a part of the team, you carry on the hard work that has been the reason behind getting the success. Not getting the opportunity is a big disappointment, but I keep myself ready and motivated because of my love for this game. And out of that love, I keep myself close to the game and routine without expecting much, and through any opportunity I get, be it domestic or county," Pujara said.

"When you fail, you fail as a team/unit and not because of a single player. So, missing out on being a part of the team is definitely disappointing for me, as it would have been for anyone else, but I try to take it positively. I try to focus on things that I have in my control. I keep my good performances for Team India in the past (be it in Australia, or England, or my performance in India) as my motivation. I always try to play for the team to win. Whether it is Saurashtra or Sussex, I keep my target as contributing to the team. So, getting a chance to get back into the Indian team will have the same motivation from my end even now," the Gabba hero concluded.

Pujara played for Saurashtra in the Ranji Trophy 2024-25, where he scored 402 runs in seven matches and 10 innings at an average of 40.20, with a century and fifty and a best score of 234.

After playing his last match for India, he has consistently performed in domestic cricket and in County cricket for Sussex alike. In England soil, Pujara has scored 870 runs in 16 matches at an average of 29.00, with a century and five fifties and a best score of 132*.

SRH's aggressive batting has come under scrutiny by experts. SRH is poised to play the aggressive type of cricket and they have acquired players like that only, it's ok to be aggressive in T20 cricket but losing your senses is also not variable, what SRH did in the first game repeated in the next two games also but there came the difference from the second match, the approach of hitting the ball is Ok, but you have lost wickets you have to understand that. 
Experts have criticised the style of cricket they play but not the approach they possess. The idea behind going for an all out attack sounds interesting but it's a sport of team if one goes out you have not to charge immediately, it adds pressure to the next coming batsmen which is not yet right for the situation they claim that's the reason they have lost their both of their matches. Sometime you have to respect the condition you play.

Read More: Top three players to watch LSG vs PBKS

Bishop And Pujara On Their Thoughts

Two legends of cricket are really unhappy with the approach which SRH team are taking because they highly depend on aggressive batting, Pujara states that SRH captain Pat Cummins has to think that every time you win the toss doesn't mean you have batted first, in the afternoon game the pitch always play on slow side and that's where you normally prefer to bowl first. That is the correct time to bowl first not to bat. I thought they would choose to bowl first but did the opposite to that, If you talk about their batting I think they are going too hard and were not smart enough to analyze the situation. 
The legendary cricketer Ian Bishop also feels the same that their template is ok, but you know one guy is hitting then it's the responsibility of the senior to carry forward the innings. Aniket and Klassen had a good recovery from the 4-wicket loss but what you did was a mistake there, if one is going you have to hold the other end which is usually done. But you too going for boundaries is asking for trouble. It may look like it's going well but it lapses the concentration of the other on whether to attack or not. 
And you being the senior partner have to hold on you know that everything can be compensated at the right time but immediate launching landed in trouble for you these are the small mistakes you have to correct. SRH have lost their two consecutive matches in the same fashion so they have to rethink what they can do better. 

Two of the top Indian cricketers Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane missed out on centuries in an exhilarating series of Ranji Trophy. In both cases, fans will be thrilled by the amazing skill and determination that had fans on the edge of their seats for another knock.

Cheteshwar Pujara Century Close Call:

Saurashtra star batter Cheteshwar Pujara was dismissed for 99 runs when his side faced Assam in Niranjan Shah Stadium Rajkot. He continued to bat for Pujara who went on to make a fine innings scoring 167 and striking 10 fours. Pujara's score was crucial in also propelled Saurashtra to set a big target for the opposition, Than being just a run short of a century.
Saurashtra was well placed at the end of Day 1 on 361/3 thanks largely to Pujara, done us all proud. He is a let-down to fall short of a century but the performances he has given have shown we can rely on him and anchor the innings. The 67th first-class century of his illustrious career is a telling testament to how long Cheteshwar Pujara has played.

ALSO READ:Watch:Virat Kohli dismissed by Himanshu Sangwan in Today's ranji Trophy match vs Railway

Ajinkya Rahane inches close to a century

Meanwhile, The captain of Mumbai Ajinkya Rahane also got a near-century in their Meghalaya match. Starting the day at 83, the overnight score was looking pretty straightforward for Rahane with just 13 runs more he was on the course of 100. he was out for 96. Rahane’s inning was among the best so far this season for the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy and in fact his first half-century of the tournament.

Rahane was pivotal in Mumbai’s progress with the bat, he took care of leading his team and giving a good performance. His classy batting and knack of scoring runs under pressure is something that always makes Rahane one of the prime players for Mumbai. Rahane didn't get past the milestone with this one, but it was still massively important.

Pujara missed his century by 1 run
Rahane missed his century by 4 runs
Kohli missed his century by 94 runs💔 pic.twitter.com/Hvwl0tWyBd

— Dinda Academy (@academy_dinda) January 31, 2025

Cheteshwar Pujara: The Missing Piece in India's Border-Gavaskar Trophy Campaign

Reports have surfaced suggesting that Indian Men's Team Head Coach Gautam Gambhir recommended the inclusion of Cheteshwar Pujara for the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy. However, the BCCI Selectors declined his request during the team selection meeting prior to the tour. This decision has gained significance as India's batting performance in Australia this year has been underwhelming.

India's Batting Struggles in Australia

During the series, major names such as Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, and Virat Kohli just couldn't make a mark like they usually do. Kohli did hit a century in his second turn during the first game but his game has been up and down, especially with getting out on balls outside off-stump which reminds everyone of when he used to struggle with that before.

This inconsistent hitting from them is a strikingly large reason why India hasn't been doing great in the series.

ALSO READ:India's 2025 Cricket Calendar: England Series, Champions Trophy, Asia Cup, and Australia Tour Fixtures

Pujara's Role and Strengths

Pujara is famous for wearing down bowlers and creating strong partnerships, which makes him a key player to steady the batting lineup. The team really misses having someone who can help make things steady between the top and middle players like he does, especially in the current series. It's a major issue that they're thinking about bringing Cheteshwar Pujara back into the group because he's great at holding an innings together with his top-notch defensive skills.

🚨 GAUTAM GAMBHIR WANTED PUJARA IN TEAM INDIA FOR BGT 🚨

- Gautam Gambhir wanted Cheteshwar Pujara in Team India's Squad for Border Gavaskar Trophy but the selectors shot it down. Even after Perth Test Match, Gambhir was still talking about Pujara. (Express Sports). pic.twitter.com/NZRqas1UyK

— Tanuj Singh (@ImTanujSingh) January 1, 2025

Pujara's Past Performances in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy

2018-19 Series in Australia

Pujara was a total leader in the 2018-19 Border-Gavaskar Trophy and you notice it. He obtained 521 runs in just seven innings over four matches, which had everyone talking. He obtained three centuries and also scored fifty runs, boasting an average of 74.42. Among his best performances were:

A marathon 193 in the third Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground, which consumed 373 balls and ensured a draw.

A gritty 123 in the first match.

A remarkable 106 during the Boxing Day Test at the MCG.

2020-21 Series in Australia

During the 2020-21 series, Pujara hit a total of 271 runs. The Brisbane Gabba test was an important game, where his score of 56 from 211 balls showed how tough and gritty he could be, playing a major role in India's key win by staying strong against constant, very fast bowling.

Pujara's Test Career in Numbers

Pujara is a really solid and reliable batsman in Test cricket, having played 103 matches. He's scored 7,195 runs from 174 innings, which averages out to 44 runs every game he plays. Among those runs, he's hit 19 hundreds and 34 fifties, with his top score being a very high 206 runs without getting out against England. His track record seriously shows how valuable he is on the team.

India's Struggles in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy

Today, India is losing 2-1 in the series, and they are having a hard time with batting. Even though they tried putting Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma in key roles, both of them didn't manage to do well consistently. The match in Brisbane that ended in a draw really showed how the middle-order can't hold together and make the most of the chances they get.

Gambhir's Concerns and Australian Bowlers' Perspective

Gambhir's very upset because the batting's been awful for a long time and he told the team how bad it was. He was very upset that the players were apparently concentrated on demonstrating their own skills instead of playing as a team. Gambhir kept saying they must hold to the plan they agreed on before the meeting, and not only make content as they go.

He made it extremely unmistakeable that working together is significantly more important than trying to be a solo star.

Josh Hazlewood, the Australian bowler, was very happy that Pujara wouldn't be playing. Hazlewood really meant exactly what he said, that Pujara had a major effect because of how he could just stay at the crease forever, make the bowlers tired, and was always good when playing in Australia. He is someone who bats time and makes you earn his wicket every time, is actually how Hazlewood put it, showing that he really thought Pujara mattered a lot for India winning.

Hazlewood's comments before the series really shone a light on how crucial Pujara was.