Picture Credit: X
Indian cricketer Cheteshwar Pujara sent out a post on his official X account, getting ready for the upcoming season of the Ranji Trophy, beginning on January 5 next year. The 35-year-old followed his India teammate Ajinkya Rahane in posting his preparation video a couple of days after India suffered a big Test loss against South Africa away from home.
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Notably, Cheteshwar Pujara last played for India in an international match during the final of the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023 against Australia at The Oval in London in June. The Rajkot-born cricketer scored 14 and 27 runs in the first and second innings of the Test respectively, and after India capitulated to a 209-run defeat in front of a top-class Australian bowling attack, he was dropped from the national team.
But, just six months later, following another Test beating away from home for India, this time against South Africa by an innings and 32 runs inside three days, Cheteshwar Pujara seemingly made his intentions clear about making yet another comeback. While wearing a full batting kit, the veteran played his trademark forward defensive stroke in a video posted on his official X account, captioning it, “Ranji Trophy prep mode: on”.
Watch the video of Cheteshwar Pujara preparing for Ranji Trophy here:
Cheteshwar Pujara is set to play in the Ranji Trophy for Saurashtra in 2024 with an Elite Group A match against Jharkhand. The four-day fixture will begin on Friday, January 5, at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot.