Senior India batter Cheteshwar Pujara could only score six off 15 balls in his first innings of the 2022 County Championship in Derby on Friday. Making his debut for Sussex, Pujara was dismissed in the 24th over on day two of the division two game against Derbyshire, who amassed 505 in their first innings.
It was not the best of starts to a county stint for Pujara who needs a bagful of runs to make a comeback into the Indian Test team.
The veteran batter was dropped from the national following the series in South Africa. Ajinkya Rahane too was ignored for the home series against Sri Lanka.
Pujara was not included in India’s Test squad for a two-match Test series at home against Sri Lanka which they won 2-0. He was also downgraded from the BCCI contracts from A to B as well.
Star Pakistan keeper batter Mohammad Rizwan is also in Sussex playing eleven. At tea break, the away team was 92 for four, trailing Derbyshire by 413 runs.
With Sussex having lost their opening game of the season, their head coach Ian Salisbury included both overseas stars for the contest against Derbyshire.
“I am extremely excited to be able to bring in players of Rizwan and Pujara’s quality into the side. Not only are they absolute world-class cricketers that will boost our performances on the pitch, but to have them around the boys and in the dressing room can only be a positive,” said the head coach in a team statement.
Pujara has in the past represented the likes of Yorkshire, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.
The 34-year-old boasts of a stellar first-class record having amassed 16948 runs n 226 matches at an average of 50.59. He has also struck 50 centuries and 70 half-centuries so far with a best individual score of 352.
For Rizwan though. this is his first ever brush with county cricket.
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