Cheteshwar Pujara’s retirement leaves Team India with the big challenge of finding tts next Mr. Dependable at No.3.
The No.3 position in Tests is always an important one, and India were quite fortunate to have two of the bests in the role for more than two decades. It is often seen as a bridge between the openers and the middle-order, and Rahul Dravid embodied that role to perfection.
After Dravid’s retirement in 2012, Cheteshwar Pujara continued the legacy and carved out a niche for himself over the next decade.
Pujara became India’s new Mr. Dependable
When India needed someone to fill the void left by Dravid, Pujara stepped into the big shoes. In the coveted No.3 slot, the right-hander amassed 6529 runs in 155 outings at a stupendous average of 44.41 with 18 centuries to his credit.
What makes these numbers special is the balls faced. India’s longtime No.3 saw through a whopping 14864 deliveries in his Test career across different conditions and against various bowlers. Pujara proved to be a man of patience and determination as in a world of flashy T20 cricket, the right-hander relied on defence throughout his career. He had this penchant to play long innings, a trait that more often frustrated even the best of the bowlers.
In most of the matches where India won or drew, Pujara would have played a significant role. He would often blunt the new ball, laying a solid foundation and acting as a shield for the middle-order batters to come. He would absorb pressure and wear down opposition.
In this way, the Saurashtra batter gave the India batting line-up the much-needed stability.
Read More: Cheteshwar Pujara retires: ‘The Rock’ of Indian cricket who stood firm like ‘The Wall’
Art of resilience
In the era of T20 cricket, Pujara chose to play with discipline. He had a compact technique and a solid temperament to play for a long time. Usually, he plays the ball very close to his body and often plays it late. Rarely would you see the right-hander play a shot in anger, even during the times when things aren’t going his way.
The other thing that sets Pujara apart is his way of tackling challenges. He wasn’t afraid of taking blows to his body. In short, we can say that Pujara had the mental toughness that very few batters in his generation possessed.
It is also safe to say that Pujara is a purist of Test cricket and a loyal servant of the team. He is one of the few players in the modern game to not let T20 cricket bother him and stayed true to his own game.
These characteristics of Pujara were one of the reasons that made him successful as a Test player, and India also subsequently became a competitive touring team away from home. In fact, he has featured in 11 of the Tests that India won in the SENA countries, the most for an India cricketer.
Innings that showcase Pujara’s grit & toughness
2021 Sydney Test vs Australia – It was the third Test of the series, and India had to chase 407 or bat out the remaining 131 overs. On a surface that had uneven bounce and a lot of turn, Pujara brought his A game. He batted a whopping 285 minutes and faced 202 balls, scoring a resolute 77 as India salvaged a famous draw
2021 Brisbane Test vs Australia – In what was one of India’s finest ever Test wins, Pujara’s role can never be understated. Much like the Sydney Test, Pujara chose to be a warrior by absorbing plenty of blows owing to the unevenness of the pitch, but never once took his guard. He scored a patient 56 and played a key role in India breaching the Gabba fortress.
2017 Ranchi Test vs Australia – This knock personified patience as Pujara became the batter who faced the most balls in a Test innings for India. He faced 525 deliveries, scoring 202 runs in a drawn game at Ranchi.
Read More: Pujara is India’s leading run-scorer in Tests against Australia since 2017: BGT 2024-25 calling?
Someone who always put his mind, body and soul for the country! Many congratulations on an outstanding career Puji! See you on the other side! @cheteshwar1 pic.twitter.com/gbpscDGFZd
— Yuvraj Singh (@YUVSTRONG12) August 24, 2025
Who are Cheteshwar Pujara’s probable replacements?
Now that Pujara has hung up his boots, who could fill his position in the India Test team? In the recent past, India have tried players like Karun Nair, Devdutt Padikkal, and Sai Sudharsan at this position, and none of them found success.
Sai Sudharsan
Though Sai Sudharsan hasn’t been that successful (140 in 6 innings), in this role, the left-hander is still in the nascent stages of Test cricket. The Tamil Nadu batter possesses a great batting technique that is needed to bat at No.3, and he can only improve as his career progresses. Hopefully, the team management will give him a longer rope at this position.
Rajat Patidar
An attractive strokemaker with a solid technique, Rajat Patidar can be a make-shift batter at the No.3 position. He didn’t have the best of starts to his Test career, but if given a chance, Patidar could succeed at that role.
Abhimanyu Easwaran
Primarily an opener, the batter from Bengal can be an ideal candidate to replace Pujara at No.3 for India. He has scored a truckload of runs in domestic cricket and has enough experience playing in foreign countries. Yet to debut at the highest level despite boasting an average of 48.70 after 103 FC games, Abhimanyu Easwaran wouldn’t complain much when asked to play this challenging role.
Ruturaj Gaikwad
Another player who could be tried out at No.3 is the Maharashtra batter Ruturaj Gaikwad. The CSK skipper has shown plenty of promise at all levels, and with the openers slot getting stacked, the No.3 position is where Ruturaj can get a fit in this Test team.
All things said, it will be very difficult for any of the above-mentioned players to replicate Pujara as such players are hard to find in the modern game. But one who does get to play at No.3 for India should aspire to carry the legacy of this legendary batter forward.
Read More: Does Sai Sudharsan deserve a long run at no. 3 for India in Tests?
