Thought it was the right time – Cheteshwar Pujara after announcing retirement from all forms of game

Indian batter Cheteshwar Pujara feels it was the right time for him to hang his boots from all forms of the game. Pujara decided to retire and shared his decision on social media platform, X, on Sunday. 

Pujara played 103 Tests and 5 ODIs for India after making his debut back in 2010. He scored 7,195 Test runs at an average of 43.60, with 19 hundreds and 35 fifties.

Overall, Pujara finishes with 21301 runs from 278 first-class games at an average of 51.82 and 66 hundreds and three triple hundreds.

Speaking to Sports Tak, Pujara said, “This was my personal call and I decided that this is the right time, especially when young players should get opportunities in domestic cricket. Earlier I thought maybe I will play this Ranji season, but then I felt that if young players get the opportunity, they will be ready sooner. So this was my personal call. About the past few years when I wasn’t part of the Indian team, I don’t want too speak much.”

Pujara said he was thinking of taking the final call on his career for a week and finally made the big decision.

He added, “See, I didn’t think much about it earlier. From about a week I thought a little that this is the right time. So today when I took this decision, it is quite a proud moment for me and for my whole family. On this day, I want to thank all my teammates, my coaches and all the support staff I worked with, because this is a proud moment for me. Representing the Indian team, from childhood, when I was small, it was always a dream to play for India. When that dream got completed and for so many years this journey went on, we created so many memories, so there are many proud moments in my career till now.”

Pujara was recently seen doing commentary in the five-match Test series against England.