Kolkata: India batsman Cheteshwar Pujara on Monday achieved a rare feat as he walked in to bat today morning. The Soursahtra batsman became the 9th cricketer in the history of test cricket to bat all five days in test cricket. He joined an illustrious list of cricketers on Day 5 of the first Test between India and Sri Lanka in Kolkata.
Pujara is now the third Indian batsmen after ML Jaisimha and Ravi Shastri to achieve the feat. Interestingly both Shastri and Pujara achieved the milestone at the iconic Eden Gardens. Shastri, who is noe the Head Coach of the Indian team batted all five days during the rain curtailed test match against England in 1984-85 series.
Cheteshwar Pujara becomes the third Indian cricketer, after Ravi Shastri and ML Jaisimha to have batted on all 5 days of a Test match. pic.twitter.com/1ERgsi6p9r
— BCCI (@BCCI) November 20, 2017
Below is the list of the 9 cricketers who batted all five days in a test match:
ML Jaisimha (IND) versus Australia at Eden Gardens (1959-60)
Geoff Boycott (ENG) versus Australia at Trent Bridge (1977)
Kim Hughes (AUS) versus England at Lords (1980)
Allan Lamb (ENG) versus West Indies at Lords (1984)
Ravi Shastri (IND) versus England at Eden Gardens (1984)
Adrian Griffith (WI) versus New Zealand at Hamilton (1999-2000)
Andrew Flintoff (ENG) versus India at Mohali (2005-06)
Alviro Petersen (SA) versus New Zealand at Basin Reserve (2012-13)
Cheteshwar Pujara (IND) versus Sri Lanka at Eden Gardens (2017-18)
Earlier in the test match, Pujara scored a fantastic half century (52) in the first innings to bail India out of trouble at the Eden Gardens. It was his knock that saw the hosts put on 172 runs in the first innings after found reeling at 50/5. On the first day, he was not out on eight while he scored an unbeaten 39 on Day two. Pujara could manage just five on the third day and two on day 4. On the final day he was brilliantly caught by Dilruwan Perera off the bowling of Suranga Lakmal for 22 runs.