Aakash Chopra, former India opener, recently discussed Cheteshwar Pujara’s performance record in England as the Indian team prepares for the 2023 ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final, led by Rohit Sharma. The highly anticipated WTC final between India and Australia, captained by Pat Cummins, is scheduled to commence on Wednesday, June 7, at The Oval in London.
While providing a preview of the upcoming match, Chopra acknowledged that Pujara had displayed brilliance in the County Championship, which ultimately earned him a spot back in the Indian squad. However, the 35-year-old batsman’s Test record in England has not been remarkable, despite having played only one match fewer than Virat Kohli.
“Pujara has scored significant runs in county cricket, which played a pivotal role in his comeback to the Indian team. However, the truth is that he has played almost as many matches as Kohli, but his statistics are not particularly impressive,” commented Chopra in a video shared on his YouTube channel.
The former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) player further compared Pujara’s Test average in England to that of Ajinkya Rahane. Chopra pointed out that both batsmen have played numerous matches in England and have even registered centuries. However, their Test averages remain below 30, which is considered subpar.
“Pujara’s average is below 30, specifically around 26 or 29. His average is nearly the same as Rahane’s. While they have both played several matches and have managed to score centuries, their average on English soil over time remains below 30, which is not impressive,” he added.
