Cheteshwar Pujara hits hundred as Sussex captain against Middlesex at Lord’s Cricket Ground

Cheteshwar Pujara continued his dream run for Sussex in County Championships Division Two, this time leading the team from the front against Middlesex on Day 1 of their match against Middlesex at the Lord’s Cricket Ground in London.

Pujara hit his fifth hundred of the ongoing county season for Sussex, taking his tally past 100 on Day 1 at the iconic venue. The veteran India batter kept the scoreboard moving at a brisk pace as Sussex dominated the Middlesex bowling attack. Pujara hit 9 boundaries and a six as Sussex went past 300 in the final session on the opening day of the 38th match.

Notably, Pujara was captaining Sussex after he was named as the interim skipper for their match against Middlesex. Pujara’s appointment as skipper came after regular captain Tom Haines was ruled out of action for up to six weeks with a broken bone in his hand whilst batting against Leicestershire earlier this month.

Pujara remained unbeaten on 115 as Sussex reached Stumps at 328 for 4 on Tuesday at Lord’s.

A century at Lord’s for @cheteshwar1 #LoveLords https://t.co/lwUbqV0Haj

— Lord’s Cricket Ground (@HomeOfCricket) July 19, 2022

“Puj was very keen to step up in the absence of Tom, he sees the potential in this side and has been a natural leader ever since he joined,” Sussex coach Ian Salisbury said ahead of the match.

Notably, it was a face-off between Pujara and his India teammate Umesh Yadav, who joined Middlesex after the rescheduled 5th Test against England. Umesh went wicketless on Day 1 despite bowling 18 overs.

Pujara batted at No. 4 for Sussex on the opening day at Lord’s and stitched a 219-run stand for the 4th wicket along with fellow centurion Tom Alsop, who was dismissed for 135 towards the end of the day’s play.

Notably, Pujara has been in a rich vein of form in the county championships division two. He began his stint with Sussex with a double hundred against Derbyshire.

He followed it up with a hundred against Worcestershire and a double hundred against Durham. Pujara hit 170 not out against Middlesex in May and the imperious form helped him return to the Test side after he was dropped for the home series against Sri Lanka earlier this year.

Pujara managed to keep his Test hopes alive by hitting a crucial 66 in the second innings for India against England in the rescheduled 5th Test which the visitors lost despite taking a first-innings lead against Ben Stokes’s England.

— ENDS —