'Big factor' forced Cheteshwar Pujara to retire from Indian cricket: 'There was little point in continuing to play...'

India batting great Cheteshwar Pujara drew curtains on his illustrious career on Sunday as he announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. Pujara, the last of the Test purists and India’s rock at No. 3, ended his career as the eighth-highest run-scorer for the team, amassing 7,195 runs in 103 matches. He last played for India in the World Test Championship final in June 2023 against Australia at The Oval. Cheteshwar Pujara retired from all forms of cricket on Sunday

Pujara's decision came just three months after he revealed that he still has the hunger and desire to play for India. In fact, it was only in May this year that he admitted that he yearns to be part of the squad for the England tour. And why not? Despite being out of the team for almost two years, he still had the form. In the last Ranji Trophy season, he played seven games for Saurashtra and scored 402 runs at an average of 40.20, including a double century against Chhattisgarh. He also featured in six first-class County games for Sussex last year, scoring 501 runs. But unfortunately, he was not recalled.

Pujara's message to the Indian selectors went unheard. Not only was he not picked for the tour of England, but he was also snubbed for the upcoming Duleep Trophy. According to a report in the Times of India, these two factors left Pujara with little choice in extending his career. The report added that with the 37-year-old not part of the IPL, he decided to retire.

"Perhaps if he was picked for the Test series in England, Pujara would have retired after the fifth Test. Look, one big factor in his retirement is also the fact that he doesn't play in the IPL. In that case, the Test snub and the Duleep Trophy snub meant there was little point in continuing to play domestic cricket for Saurashtra," the source claimed.

Interestingly, Pujara's decision also came just two days after a report stated that the Saurashtra Cricket Association confirmed that the veteran batter has expressed his intention to play in the Ranji Trophy.

Pujara last played an IPL game in 2014, for the Punjab franchise. He returned to the league in 2021, when the Chennai Super Kings roped him in for INR 50 lakhs, but he warmed the bench throughout the season. He found no takers in the subsequent seasons.

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