Cheteshwar Pujara’s retirement from all forms of cricket on Sunday has brought back countless memories of his time in Indian colours. Among them is a light-hearted moment from the 2018–19 tour of Australia, when his teammates playfully forced him into a celebration he could never quite imitate. After India clinched the four-Test series 2-1 in Sydney, the players broke into a victory dance on the ground. The sight drew laughter and curiosity, and captain Virat Kohli was quick to reveal the story behind it.
“Rishabh (Pant) came up with it and we just went along. It felt good and it was very easy (to do), but Pujara couldn’t even do that! You can see how simple he is,” Kohli said at the time. Visuals of the No. 3 batter awkwardly trying to copy the moves while his teammates egged him on have now resurfaced, a reminder of his reserved and simple personality. For Pujara, though, that series was less about dance steps and more about runs. He was named both Player of the Match in Sydney and Player of the Series for his 521 runs, including three centuries, that formed the backbone of India’s historic triumph. Reflecting on the achievement, he had said, “It’s a great feeling for all of us. We’ve been working really hard to win a series overseas. And especially doing it in this country, it’s never easy.”
Cheteshwar Pujara is forced to dance with his teammates after the 2-1 series win during day five of the Fourth Test match in the series between Australia and India at Sydney Cricket Ground on January 07, 2019 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
He added that his century in Adelaide, which gave India a 1-0 lead, was particularly special. “First hundred was special, scoring it in Adelaide and going 1-0 up is something which we were all aiming for. When you do that, there’s a good chance of winning the series,” he said.
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As Indian cricket bids farewell to Pujara, the memories are not just of his grit at the crease but also of rare, light-hearted glimpses like that Sydney dance. Messages of support and wishes for his retirement flooded the internet after the 37-year-old announced his decision earlier on Sunday.
