Cheteshwar Pujara has scored his seventeenth double-century in first-class cricket, within the opening spherical of the 2023-24 Ranji Trophy season, in opposition to Jharkhand. Batting in a single day on 157, Pujara went previous 200 within the first session of the third day and remained unbeaten on 243 after lunch, when Saurashtra declared on 578 for 4, with a large lead of 436.
Pujara is now stage with Herbert Sutcliffe and Mark Ramprakash on 17 first-class doubles and behind Don Bradman (37), Wally Hammond (36) and Patsy Hendren (22) total. It was Pujara’s eighth double-hundred within the Ranji Trophy, the place he’s second on the record behind solely Paras Dogra’s 9.
Pujara additionally has three first-class triple-centuries, the final of which got here in opposition to West Indies A in October 2013.
Pujara will hope his newest double places him in competition for the five-Check collection in opposition to England beginning on January 25 in Hyderabad. Pujara final performed a Check in June, the WTC last in opposition to Australia at The Oval, wherein he scored 14 and 27 as India went down by 209 runs.
India have since performed two Check collection of two video games every, within the West Indies in July 2023 and just lately in South Africa. Shubman Gill dropped right down to No. 3 in all these Checks with Yashasvi Jaiswal opening the batting.
Pujara, in the meantime, performed county cricket for Sussex, the Irani Cup (the annual first-class match that includes the Ranji Trophy champions vs the Remainder of India) and the 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy, however with out spectacular returns till now.
He’ll in all probability play a minimum of yet another Ranji sport – in opposition to Haryana at residence from January 12 to fifteen – earlier than the India squad is introduced for the England Checks. Saurashtra’s third fixture is in opposition to Vidarbha from January 19 to 22.
