Cheteshwar Pujara scored a scintillating double century for Saurashtra against Jharkhand in the Ranji Trophy on Sunday making a case for himself ahead of Indiaโs squad announcement for the England series at home.
Pujara scored 243 in 346 balls with the help of 30 fours as Saurashtra posted 543 in the first innings. The veteran batter hasnโt played for India since the World Test Championship final against Australia, getting dropped from the subsequent West Indies and South Africa Test series.
On Saturday, Pujara had cracked an unbeaten century fir the defending Ranji champions. He was 157 not out at stumps, and giving him company at 23 was Prerak Mankad.
๐๐ผ๐๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐น๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐๐ต๐๐ฎ๐ฟ ๐ฃ๐๐ท๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฎ! ๐ฏ๐ฏ
A spectacular 2โฃ0โฃ0โฃ in Rajkot from the Saurashtra batter! ๐๐
Follow the match โถ๏ธ https://t.co/xYOBkksyYt#RanjiTrophy | #SAUvJHA | @IDFCFIRSTBank | @saucricket | @cheteshwar1 pic.twitter.com/ofLZSf2qcl
โ BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) January 7, 2024
Saurashtra, who had bundled out Jharkhand for a paltry 142 on the opening day with Chirag Jani taking his maiden five-for in First-Class cricket, were in complete control after having taken a 264-run lead with opener Harvik Desai (85), Sheldon Jackson (54) and Arpit Vasavada (68) being the other notable contributors.
Overnight batters Harvik and Jackson didnโt last long on day 2, though the duo managed a 108-run partnership for the second wicket to give the hosts a good platform to build on.
2โฃ4โฃ3โฃ* runs
3โฃ5โฃ6โฃ balls
3โฃ0โฃ foursSit back and enjoy Cheteshwar Pujara’s resilient double century against Jharkhand ๐ฅ๐ฝ #RanjiTrophy | #SAUvJHA | @IDFCFIRSTBank | @saucrickethttps://t.co/0sXCAopHlU
โ BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) January 7, 2024
Pujara found the gaps and occasionally punished the loose deliveries, consuming 239 deliveries for his 157 that was studded with 19 boundaries.
His 146-run partnership with Vasavada helped the hosts post an imposing total, one which could help them win by an innings and garner a bonus point.
Jharkhand bowlers were woefully ill-equipped to match the batting prowess of the team led by India pacer Jaydev Unadkat with all their six bowlers going for plenty of runs.
