Cheteshwar Pujara shows his 50-over prowess before World Cup in England, Jaffer concerned

The seasoned Indian batsman Cheteshwar Pujara, playing for Sussex against Northamptonshire in a 50-over match of the England Domestic One-Day Cup 2023, displayed his prowess on Sunday, August 6. However, his performance for the Indian cricket team has not been a fruitful one. Pujara represented Team India in the World Test Championship Finals, but he failed to showcase his abilities against Australia. It raised doubts about the veteran test-cricket batsman's ability to succeed as a member of the Indian Cricket Team.

3 things you need to know 

• Cheteshwar Arvind Pujara is Gujarat born 35-year-old- cricketer
• Pujara has 7195 in 103 matches  in Test cricket for Team India 
• Pujara currently plays for Sussex in the UK

Also Read: Australia announce preliminary squad for World Cup 2023; Top name missing out from team

Wasim Jaffer makes a huge statement on Pujara's possible return to Team India

The advent of outstanding young players like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill, according to former Indian opener Wasim Jaffer, may pose problems for Cheteshwar Pujara's comeback to the Indian Test team. Jaffer, speaking to the press, stated:

I feel it will be difficult for Cheteshwar Pujara to make a comeback into the Indian team going forward. You have to look forward to younger players and fresh faces in the new World Test Championship cycle. Shreyas Iyer will come back, and possibly Rishabh Pant will too at some point. Now you have Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill as well. So I feel it will be difficult for Pujara to make a comeback.

After Pujara's performance in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023 final against Australia, he was left out of the group for the ensuing West Indies tour, and the selectors instead chose to include promising new players. This situation suggests that Pujara would face hard competition from budding youths in his quest to reclaim his place in the national Test team.

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How many runs did Pujara score against Northamptonshire?

Due to a rain delay, the England Domestic One-Day Cup 2023 match between Sussex and Northamptonshire was reduced to 45 overs each side. Sussex chose to bat first and was in danger after 7.3 overs at 21/2. But Cheteshwar Pujara, while batting at number three, was instrumental in anchoring the innings. Sussex reached a decent total of 240/7 in the allocated 45 overs thanks to his magnificent unbeaten performance of 106*. Pujara's century was a noteworthy effort, as none of the other hitters scored more than 30 runs. His 119-ball innings, which included two sixes and four boundaries, demonstrated his skill and tenacity. 

Despite Pujara's valiant efforts, Northamptonshire successfully chased down the amended total of 243 in 43.4 overs, winning by three wickets. Prithvi Shaw's rapid start of 26 runs off 17 balls set the tone for the successful chase, but he couldn't turn it into a meaningful score.