India’s Test stalwart Cheteshwar Pujara has voiced his support for KL Rahul to retain his place at the top of the order, even suggesting that Rohit Sharma could move down to No.3 to accommodate him for the day-night Test at the Adelaide Oval, starting December 6.
Pujara's Saurashtra teammate Jaydev Unadkat has linked up with Sussex to continue his County Championship stint from the previous season.
Pujara has scored 20,013 runs at an average of 51.98 in 260 first-class matches. In this format, he has tallied 61 hundreds and 78 fifties; his highest score is 352.
A combined tally of 188 Tests and 12,272 runs is very hard to ignore, but with both 35, and enduring a dry spell of runs, the selectors deemed it the best time to pass on the baton to the younger players.
Top-order batter Cheteshwar Pujara stood tall with his 36 not out as India trail Australia by nine runs at Tea on day two of third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the Holkar Stadium, here on Thursday.
Pujara went unsold in the Indian Premier League auction for the 13th edition and has never played a T20 for India.
Pujara last featured for India on their tour to New Zealand earlier in the year.
"I cannot say in one line what Rahul bhai means to me. He has always been an inspiration, and will remain one," Pujara said.
No interaction with Venkatesh Prasad is complete without a mention of his famous face-off with Aamir Sohail in the 1996 World Cup quarterfinal
India's batting mainstay Rahane is celebrating his 32nd birthday today.
