Cheteshwar Pujara Retirement: Indian Test Specialist Ends Career in All Formats

Cheteshwar Pujara Retirement

Cheteshwar Pujara surprised cricket fans on 24 August by announcing his retirement from both international and domestic cricket. Just a few days earlier, he was preparing to play in the upcoming Ranji Trophy season, but suddenly he decided to step away from the game.

File photo: Indian Cricketer Cheteshwar Pujara

For Indian cricket fans, Sunday turned into an emotional day. Pujara, who was considered the backbone of India’s Test batting lineup, revealed that he would no longer play professional cricket. This means he is retiring not just from international cricket but also from domestic tournaments like the Ranji Trophy.

Pujara had been out of the Indian team for the past two years, and while many did not expect a comeback, the batsman himself never thought about retirement until recently. He shared that the thought of retiring came to him only a week ago, and after some reflection, he decided to make the announcement.

The veteran batsman, who held the crucial No. 3 position for India for more than a decade, announced his retirement in a heartfelt social media post. He expressed gratitude to the BCCI, his teammates, state associations, and fans for their constant support. He said that playing for India was his childhood dream, and he was grateful to have lived it by representing the nation in 103 Test matches. His last appearance was in the World Test Championship final against Australia in June 2023.

Why Pujara took retirement 

In an interview after the announcement, Pujara admitted that the idea of retirement only struck him a week ago. “I hadn’t thought much about it earlier. But for the past week, I felt this was the right time. Today, when I made this decision, it became a proud moment for me and my family. Playing for India was my dream since childhood, and this journey has been very special,” he said.

Interestingly, Pujara was not included in the West Zone squad for the Duleep Trophy 2025, which may have influenced his decision. Initially, he was also preparing to play for Saurashtra in the Ranji Trophy, but later he felt it would be better if young players got more opportunities. Explaining this, he said, “Earlier I thought of playing Ranji, but then I felt youngsters should get chances so they can be ready early. That’s why I made this personal decision.”

With this, Indian cricket bids farewell to one of its most dependable Test players, whose calm batting style anchored the team for many years.