Cheteshwar Pujara

Overview:

He played 103 Tests, scoring 7,195 runs at 43.60 with 19 centuries, finishing as India’s eighth-highest Test run-scorer. He also appeared in five ODIs.

Cheteshwar Pujara retired from Indian cricket on 24 August 2025. He played 103 Tests, scoring 7,195 runs at 43.60 with 19 centuries, finishing as India’s eighth-highest Test run-scorer. He also appeared in five ODIs.

Cheteshwar Pujara has announced his retirement from Indian cricket. He was left out of the Duleep Trophy squad, while the Indian squad transitioned, players like Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, and Karun Nair stepped into the No.3 role in recent games.

He played his last match in the 2023 World Test Championship Final, facing the same opposition he had first encountered in Bengaluru back in 2010. After scoring just four in his first innings, he struck a vital 72 in the second to help India chase successfully.

With his exit, every player from that 2010 Test has now retired from international cricket.

Top-order: Murali Vijay, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid

Murali Vijay played his last Test in the 2018–19 Border-Gavaskar series before retiring in January 2023. He now works as a broadcaster.

Virender Sehwag’s final Test came in 2013 against Australia. After a few more IPL seasons, he retired, later coaching the Punjab Kings and moving into broadcasting. He also runs several businesses, including an international school.

Rahul Dravid passed the No.3 role to Cheteshwar Pujara in 2011–12. Since then, The Wall has established himself as a coach, beginning with stints in the IPL for Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals), before taking on larger responsibilities in Indian cricket.

Since then, he has built a strong coaching career—leading the NCA, guiding India A and U-19 teams, and also guiding the Indian National Cricket Team to success in the 2024 T20 World Cup. He is currently in his second stint as the Rajasthan Royals’ head coach.

Middle Order – Sachin Tendulkar, Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni

Cheteshwar Pujara was at the crease during Sachin Tendulkar’s final international innings in 2013. Since retiring, he has served as a mentor with the Mumbai Indians.

Suresh Raina retired from international cricket in 2020 and subsequently quit the game altogether in 2022. He now plays in legends’ leagues, works as a broadcaster, and featured in the 2025 World Championship of Legends, scoring 34 runs in three matches.

MS Dhoni retired from Test cricket in 2014–15 but continued to play white-ball cricket until 2019. He and Pujara crossed paths again at CSK in IPL 2021. Though Dhoni left international cricket in 2020, he still plays in the IPL and captained CSK in 2025 after Ruturaj Gaikwad’s injury.

Lower Order – Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, S Sreesanth, Pragyan Ojha

Harbhajan Singh’s Test career ended in 2015, and he made his final international appearance the following year. He continued in the IPL until 2021, after which he announced his retirement from all formats. He is now active in politics, broadcasting, and legends’ leagues.

Zaheer Khan’s India career ended in 2014 in New Zealand. He went on to lead Delhi Daredevils in the IPL before retiring, later taking up roles in coaching and cricket analysis. He worked with the Mumbai Indians and the Lucknow Super Giants.

Pragyan Ojha retired from all cricket in 2020 after ending his domestic career in 2018. He now appears as a broadcaster and in veterans’ tournaments like the Legends League.

He was recently appointed to the technical committee for the 2025 Asia Cup and is also in contention for a place on India’s selection panel.

S Sreesanth’s career, however, unravelled after the 2013 IPL match-fixing scandal, and he never managed to regain his footing in professional cricket. Over the years, he has taken part in reality shows, worked as a broadcaster, and even explored politics for a short period.

In 2025, the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) suspended him for three years after he criticised the board over Sanju Samson’s omission from India’s Champions Trophy squad.

V M Suriya Narayanan is a passionate cricket writer who has been following the game since 2007. With a background in Civil Engineering (B.E.), he blends analytical thinking with a deep understanding of...