'Stood Tall When The Storm Raged': Gautam Gambhir Praises Cheteshwar Pujara For Exceptional Contributions To Indian Cricket

Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir heaped praise on Cheteshwar Pujara for his exceptional contributions to Indian cricket, stating that the veteran showed resilience on the field when the opponents tried to put pressure.

Cheteshwar Pujara announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on Sunday, August 24th. Earlier, there had been media reports that Pujara confirmed his availability for the upcoming Ranji Trophy season. However, the 37-year-old hung up his boots before the start of the 2025-2026 domestic season.

"Wearing the Indian jersey, singing the anthem, and trying my best each time I stepped on the field - it’s impossible to put into words what it truly meant. But as they say, all good things must come to an end, and with immense gratitude I have decided to retire from all forms of Indian cricket. Thank you for all the love and support," Pujara wrote while announcing his retirement.

ALSO READ: Cheteshwar Pujara Retires From All Forms of Cricket Ahead of 2025-26 Domestic Season

Gautam Gambhir Showers Praise On Cheteshwar Pujara

Gautam Gambhir took to his official X handle and penned down a special praise for Pujara. The Indian head coach said that the veteran fought when hope was fading.

"He stood tall when the storm raged, he fought when hope was fading. Congratulations Pujji," Gautam Gambhir wrote on X.

Cheteshwar Pujara's Stats In International and Domestic Cricket

Pujara is considered one of the stalwarts to play at number 3 in Test cricket. It was back in 2010 when Pujara made his debut in the Test format. He appeared in 103 Test matches and 176 innings, amassing 7195 runs at a strike rate of 44.36 and an average of 43.60. The 37-year-old has scored 19 centuries and 35 half-centuries in Test format.

ALSO READ: Veteran India Batter Cheteshwar Pujara Confirms Availability For Upcoming Ranji Trophy Season: Report

Pujara has failed to make his place in the Test squad for a long time. He played his last Test match for India in 2023, against Australia in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.

Not just in international formats, but Pujara made his name in first-class cricket as well. He played 278 matches and 457 innings, scoring 21301 runs at an average of 51.82 and a strike rate of 51.06. The 37-year-old has scored 66 centuries and 81 half-centuries in first-class cricket.

In the Ranji Trophy 2024-2025 season, he played seven matches and scored 402 runs at an average of 40.2. Pujara also had one century and a fifty in the last season.