Latest news with #Pujara
NDTV
3 days ago
- Sport
- NDTV
Did Gautam Gambhir Call Cheteshwar Pujara For England Tests? Ignored Star Makes Stunning Revelation
Veteran batter Cheteshwar Pujara will not be part of the Shubman Gill -led Indian team for the upcoming five-match Test series against England, starting June 20. Once again, the 37-year-old was overlooked by the selectors, who instead picked the likes of Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair as potential replacements for Virat Kohli, who retired from the format earlier this month. Pujara, who last played for India during the World Test Championship (WTC) final in 2023, was recently quizzed whether he received a call from India head coach Gautam Gambhir for the upcoming Test series in England. "No, not yet," Pujara said during an interview with Lallantop. However, Pujara said he is available to play for India if given an opportunity. "I am ready. I don't know if they will take me or not. But if I get a chance, yes, it will be an honour to represent the country again. As a cricketer, you always feel that as long as you are fit, as long as you are contributing, and if I have a good performance in domestic cricket, and I am preparing well, if I get a chance, yes, I will be more than happy to be part of the team," he added. The month of June not only marks the beginning of India's new ICC World Test Championship cycle (2025-27), but also signals the dawn of a new chapter in Indian cricket. With Gill at the helm, a young Indian side will face a stern challenge in England, known for its testing conditions and formidable home record. Gill's leadership will be closely watched as he attempts to guide a fresh-faced team in the absence of some of India's most experienced Test campaigners. India squad for England tour: Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (vc, wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudarshan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
'I am ready': Cheteshwar Pujara breaks silence on Gautam Gambhir's phone call for England tour
Gautam Gambhir and Cheteshwar Pujara NEW DELHI: India's batting mainstays Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, along with ace spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, have retired from Test cricket, while star pacer Mohammed Shami will miss the crucial five-match series in England due to fitness issues. All eyes are now on the Shubman Gill-led Indian side, widely regarded as one of the most inexperienced teams to tour England in recent memory. Without the presence of Kohli and Rohit, India's batting line-up appears notably depleted. Could the selectors have considered recalling experienced campaigners like Cheteshwar Pujara or Ajinkya Rahane to strengthen the top order? Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! During a recent interview, Pujara was asked whether Gautam Gambhir had reached out to him regarding the England tour. "No, not yet," Pujara told Lallantop when asked, "Have you received a phone call from Gambhir yet?" The 103-Test veteran expressed his readiness to return if given the opportunity. RCB vs PBKS, IPL 2025, Qualifier 1: Quick singles from Mullanpur "I am ready. I don't know if they will take me or not. But if I get a chance, yes, it will be an honour to represent the country again. As a cricketer, you always feel that as long as you are fit, as long as you are contributing, and if I have a good performance in domestic cricket, and I am preparing well, if I get a chance, yes, I will be more than happy to be part of the team," Pujara said. Shubman Gill has been handed the responsibility of leading the Indian Test team through a 'massive transition' period, with the dynamic Rishabh Pant appointed as his deputy for what is expected to be a stern challenge in English conditions. At just 25, Gill becomes India's fifth youngest Test captain, following in the footsteps of Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi (21), Sachin Tendulkar (23), Kapil Dev (24), and Ravi Shastri (25). The first Test against England is scheduled to begin on June 20 in Leeds. India Test squad vs England: Ajit Agarkar full press conference "Last year or so we have looked at Shubman (for leadership). We are hopeful he is the guy who is going (to take the team forward). It is a high pressure job but he is a terrific player. We wish him all the best," said chief selector Ajit Agarkar after announcing the 18-member squad, which included no major surprises. Explaining Pant's appointment as vice-captain, Agarkar added: "Pant is one of our best batters in Test cricket over the last four-five years. A wicketkeeper can see the game well and that's why he is Shubman's deputy." The squad also features maiden Test call-ups for promising left-hander B Sai Sudharsan and left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh. Get IPL 2025 match schedules , squads , points table , and live scores for CSK , MI , RCB , KKR , SRH , LSG , DC , GT , PBKS , and RR . Check the latest IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap standings.
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
‘Didn't get any call from Gautam Gambhir': Cheteshwar Pujara ‘ready' to join India's Test squad in England
With no Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Ravichandran Ashwin (all retired) and Mohammed Shami (dropped due to unsatisfactory fitness standards), the Shubman Gill-led India side is one of the least experienced ones to tour England for a full Test series. Sans Kohli and Rohit, India's batting line-up appears pale in comparison. Could the selectors have thought about Cheteshwar Pujara or Ajinkya Rahane as a stop-gap arrangement? They have done the same in the past. In fact, current India head coach Gautam Gambhir reportedly wanted Pujara in India's squad for the Australia tour but was denied by the selection committee. Did Gambhir place the same request this time too? When Pujara was asked whether Gambhir had contacted him before the Indian team's selection meeting, the veteran batter said no. "No, not yet," Pujara told Lallantop when he was asked, "Have you received a phone call from Gambhir yet?" The veteran of 103 Tests said he is ready to fulfil the role of top-order batter if required. "I am ready. I don't know if they will take me or not. But if I get a chance, yes, it will be an honour to represent the country again. As a cricketer, you always feel that as long as you are fit, as long as you are contributing, and if I have a good performance in domestic cricket, and I am preparing well, if I get a chance, yes, I will be more than happy to be part of the team," Pujara said. Pujara's comments came a day before India's squad announcement. The Ajit Agarkar-led selection did not fall back on either him or Ajinkya Rahane. They instead, decided to invest in youth by appointing Shubman Gill as the captain and Rishabh Pant the vice captain. Tamil Nadu batter Sai Sudharsan earned his maiden Test call-up while Karun Nair was brought back into the side after 8 years. Unlike in Australia, where Pujara found a lot of success, scoring 521 runs and 271 runs in India's victorious campaigns in 2018 and 2019, the right-hander does not particularly have a record boast of. Pujara averages 31 in England in 14 Tests. He has 806 runs with one century to his name. When Pujara was asked about the reports about Gambhir wanting him in Australia, he said he could have made a difference had he been there. "Look, I can't say much about the selection of the team. But I had a lot of hope that if I get a chance in Australia, I would be able to contribute for the team. Because the way my track record is on Australian soil, I had a confidence that if I get a chance there, I might be able to contribute for the team. Secondly, the way the team is playing right now, especially the way the Australian tour started, it was a very promising start. We won the first test match very well." "After that, the team's progression was not so good. But when you play in foreign conditions, whether it is Australia, South Africa, New Zealand or England, it is not easy to win or perform there. So many times, the players get criticism. But I also feel for the players, because the players work very hard and try to prepare very well. And if they don't succeed there, there is a different pressure for the player. So it is very important to balance that out."
India Gazette
6 days ago
- Sport
- India Gazette
"Look forward to this group setting new benchmarks": Pujara on Team India's upcoming tour of England
New Delhi [India], May 28 (ANI): As the Indian Test team gears up for its high-stakes tour of England, India batter Cheteshwar Pujara believes the series will be a defining moment for the next generation of Indian cricket. Speaking as part of Sony Sports' latest campaign 'Naya India, Dhakad India', Pujara underlined the historical significance and the immense challenge that the India-England rivalry poses, particularly on English soil. 'The India-England Test series has always been a true measure of a team's grit and adaptability,' Pujara said. 'In the last 100 years, India has managed to win only 3 out of 19 series played on English soil, which highlights just how challenging this contest has been for us,' he added. India's record in England reflects the demanding conditions and tactical complexities of Test cricket in that part of the world, something that even the strongest Indian sides of the past have struggled with but Pujara believes the current squad, led by a young and promising captain in Shubman Gill, has the potential to script a new chapter. 'With a young and dynamic squad, this tour represents a significant turning point for Indian cricket,' he noted. 'I look forward to witnessing how this group rises to the occasion and sets new benchmarks for future generations,' he said. The upcoming series will also mark Shubman Gill's debut as Test captain. Gill, who has emerged as one of India's brightest prospects across formats, will face a stern test of leadership against an England side known for its aggressive 'Bazball' approach. The series against England will take place from June to August 2025, with matches at Headingley (Leeds), Edgbaston (Birmingham), Lord's (London), Old Trafford (Manchester), and The Oval (London). This will be India's first bilateral series since both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli announced their retirement from Test cricket earlier this month. India's Test squad for England series: Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav. (ANI)
NDTV
27-05-2025
- Sport
- NDTV
Rahul, Jaiswal To Open: Cheteshwar Pujara Makes Bold No. 3 Call For India's Test XI
The departures of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have given the Indian team management almost a blank slate to work with ahead of the start of the England tour. While a few names like KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Shubman Gill are confirmed, the think tank has to put its head together to structure the rest of the batting line-up. Cheteswhar Pujara, one of India's finest No. 3 batters in recent times, has shared his ideas on the puzzle that the team has to resolve. "The openers who batted in Australia in the BGT (Border-Gavaskar Trophy) series -- KL Rahul and Yashasvi, should continue. Now talking about no.3, at this stage we don't know whether Shubman will bat there or drop down to No.4," Pujara said on Sunday during an online interaction organised by Sony Sports Network. Though Pujara wants Gill to bat at the No. 3 spot, he does see him making a slight change and taking up the No. 4 spot instead. If that happens, Gill wants Abhimanyu Easwaran, Sai Sudharsan or Karun Nair to take up the role. Pujara fancies Sudharsan and Easwaran more for the one-down spot. "If Shubman bats at No.4, then someone like Abhimanyu Eswaran or Karun Nair could be a good fit at that position, but I would still like to see Shubman batting at No.3," he added." Someone like Karun who has done very well in domestic cricket, I think ideal position for Karun would be No.4. If Shubman bats at No.3, then Karun Nair comes at No.4. If Shubman bats at No.4, then at No.3 it would be a choice between Abhimanyu Eswaran or Sai Sudharsan," he said. With Gill leading the India team in his first assignment away from home in England, Pujara expects the young star to face a significant challenge. "When he goes to England, and when he starts his preparation, he will understand that these are the shots which he can play while the ball is new. Plus, there are some shots that you need to avoid when the ball is new, and it's swinging or seaming around a bit. I would say it's very similar to what you get in Australia ,where the ball does a bit more for the first 25-30 overs and then it settles down a bit," Pujara said. "So, once the ball gets old, you as a batter, you can play a few more shots. But if he is batting at number 3 or 4 and India loses one or two wickets early on, then he might have to change his game a bit. He is capable enough to do that, and once he goes there, I am sure he will understand what he has to do," he added. Listen to the latest songs, only on
