Yorkshire: Five cricketing facts about new signing Cheteshwar Pujara

YORKSHIRE have announced Indian Test star Cheteshwar Pujara as their new overseas signing, subject to a work permit being granted.
By The Newsroom
Published 1st Apr 2015, 16:16 BST
Cheteshwar Pujara, leftCheteshwar Pujara, left
Cheteshwar Pujara, left

The classy right-handed batsman is a mainstay of India’s top order and will more than compensate for the loss of Younus Khan, who has pulled out of an agreement to join the club.

Here are five interesting facts about Yorkshire’s new signing.

1: Pujara has hit nine first-class double centuries.

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Pujara currently has nine first-class scores of 200 or more. At one point, his rate of scoring doubles was second to only Don Bradman. Bradman got a double after every nine innings, with Pujara averaging one every 15 innings at one productive stage earlier in his career.

2: Pujara is the second-fastest Indian Test batsman to reach the 1,000 Test runs milestone.

Pujara became the second fastest Indian to get to 1,000 Test runs during the course of his double hundred against Australia in March 2013 at Hyderabad, where he put on a 370-run record second-wicket partnership with Murali Vijay. Only Vinod Kambli reached the milestone faster.

3: Pujara passed 2,000 first-class runs in a vintage 2013.

Pujara scored 2,043 runs at 102.15 in first-class matches in 2013. Only Australian top-order man Chris Rogers - with 2,391 runs at 48.79 from 28 matches - made more runs that calendar year.

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4: Pujara has recorded the highest second innings score of 153 by any Indian batsmen in South Africa.

Pujara’s classy knock was his sixth ton and first outside India. His third-wicket stand of 222 with Virat Kohli at the Wanderers in December 2013 helped put India in a strong position, with South Africa set 458 to win. The game was eventually drawn with the hosts finishing on 450-7.

5: Pujara has previously county cricket experience with Derbyshire.

In August 2014, following India’s tour of England, Pujara joined Derbyshire for their last three Championship fixtures of the season. Following a forgettable debut against Glamorgan, he followed it up with a second innings unbeaten 90 in the win over Surrey. He finished the season scoring an unbeaten hundred in the second innings in the win over Leicestershire.

Related topics:IndiaYorkshire