An open letter to Cheteshwar Pujara to his international retirement

Dear Chetehwar Pujara,

When the news of your International retirement has brokenIt didn’t look like the end of a career, it was like the end of an era. Suddenly, all the fan who have already defended the “appropriate test cricket” in a noisy chai stand or in a WhatsApp group felt a bump in the throat. Because you were not only a paste; You were our last standing argument. In a world obsessed with the six, the strikes and the viral reels, you made the defense look before an act of rebellion. You reminded us that the striker could still concern patience, stubbornness and a straight bat like a sword. And yes, sometimes it crushed us, but basically, we loved you.

Your 92 in Bengaluru against Australia In 2017, it was not only a blow, it was a marathon that caused the will of the beans to be lost. This 2021 Sydney And Brisbane epic? You have not only marked races; You have worn bruises like medals. Each bodies have recalled that test cricket is always a heartbeat competition, not just to highlight coils. And whenever we think that India could collapse, you stood there, motionless, not Botré, like a man who had been said that his train was late and decided to slowly sip his chai.

Fans joked that you look at the bat was like looking at the dry painting. But here is the thing: this painting was the foundation of the greatest tests in India abroad. Without you, these glorious finished, the fireworks of the pants, the Kohli punches, The Ashwin, would never have been possible. You were the silent engineer building the scene while others were dancing on it. And you have never complained. No breast beat, no big titles, no noise. He runs, the grain and the occasional glare that could melt a quick launcher ego.

Today, cricket will move forward, as it still does. New heroes will come, new formats will dazzle and the world will continue to turn at T20 speed. But somewhere in Rajkot, there is a shadow for children in his living room, playing the defense before the strongest that his mother has ever seen. And we know exactly who he claims to be.

So thank you, Chetehwar. For every hour, the quisors have suffered. For each scar that you have won on behalf of your team. For each Indian who said once: “Relax, Pujara always hits, we are well”. You were not only the 2.0 wall. You were the patience we didn’t know that we needed.

With the deepest respect and admiration,

Cricket times

Read also: The Indian Cricket Fraternity welcomes Cheteshwar Pujara after his retirement from international cricket