Cheteshwar Pujara, one of the most stalwart and disciplined batsmen in contemporary cricket, has once again etched his name in the annals of the sport with his 66th first-class century. This milestone was achieved on October 21, 2024, during round 2 of the Ranji Trophy against Chhattisgarh at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot.
Cheteshwar Pujara’s Journey
Pujara, born on January 25, 1988, in Rajkot, Gujarat, was nurtured in a cricketing family. His father, Arvind Pujara, and uncle, Bipin Pujara, were both cricketers, which laid the foundation for his career. Over the years, Pujara has been a consistent performer in first-class cricket, known for his resilience and ability to grind out long innings.
The Milestone
In the match against Chhattisgarh, Pujara reached his century in 197 balls, leading his side’s response to Chhattisgarh’s mammoth first-innings total of 578/7d. This century not only took him past Brian Lara’s tally of 65 first-class hundreds but also saw him cross the 21,000-run mark in first-class cricket.
66TH FIRST CLASS CENTURY BY CHETESHWAR PUJARA…!!! 🤯
– A stupendous hundred, his 25th in Ranji trophy history. One of the best from India in the longest format! 👌 pic.twitter.com/VizjWnivf1
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) October 21, 2024
Overtaking Brian Lara, one of the finest batters in cricket history is a monumental achievement for Pujara. It highlights his dedication to the red-ball format and his ability to perform consistently over time. Among Indians, Pujara is now the fourth-highest run-getter and century-maker in first-class cricket, only behind Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar, and Rahul Dravid.
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