Indian veteran of over 100 Tests will play the first seven County Championship fixtures for Sussex in 2024, meaning he will get the opportunity to play at Lord’s when Sussex visit in the latter part of May.
Pujara has made three Test appearances at the ground in 2014, 2018 and 2021, two of which India have won. India have only won 3 Lord’s Tests in their history and Pujara is one of very few Indian cricketers to have featured in two Lord’s Test wins along with the likes of Kohli, Rahane and Ishant Sharma in both 2014 and 2021. Sachin Tendulkar for example never won a Lord’s Test in five attempts in 1990, 1996, 2002, 2007 and 2011.
Pujara batted for 206 deliveries for a score of 45 in his last Test innings at Lord’s in 2021. India were only 28 runs in front and 3 wickets down in their third innings before he and Rahane added exactly 100 for the fourth wicket during the course of his slow long innings of 45. His innings frustrated England, weathered the storm and tired the English bowlers, allowing the likes of Mohammad Shami to help himself to a half century down the order later in the innings. 45 is Pujara’s top score from six innings in Lord’s Tests.
Cheteshwar recently turned 36 and made a comeback to the Indian Test squad for England’s current tour of his home country, although failed to make the starting XI despite Virat Kohli’s absence. He last played for India in the final of the ICC World Test Championship at The Oval in London last June. He will get another chance to play a London fixture in 2024 for the first time since then, although in a County Championship division two match rather a World Test Championship title decider this time around.
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