Watch: Veteran Cheteshwar Pujara has continued his good run in County Championship 2022, scoring his second hundred on the trot during a Division Two clash between Sussex and Worcestershire.
Out-of-favour Indian batter Pujara scored 109 off 206 balls at a crucial juncture after his side lost two quick wickets. Up against Worcestershire’s 491, Sussex were all out for 269 in the first innings, with Pujara being the only player to cross 50 from the South Coast side.
Walking in to bat at No.3 after his side slid to 34-2, Pujara started off sedately and held an end up despite regular wickets falling at the other end. He went on to score his hundred in 184 balls, bringing up the landmark with a pull shot. The right-hander had earlier made 201* against Derbyshire last week. Pujara was eventually out for 109 off the bowling of Dillon Pennington with the help of 16 fours, and Sussex were asked to follow on.
He was dismissed by Pennington in the second innings as well, with the wicket an eye-catching one. With Pujara on 12, Pennington hooped one back in to crash into the India star’s stumps.
The 34-year-old has faced an extended slump in international cricket, with his last Test hundred coming in 2019. He averaged 20.37 in 2020 in Tests, and 28.08 last year. In the two Tests this year, Pujara averaged 27 and was subsequently dropped from the recent home series against Sri Lanka.
Watch Pujara’s dismissal here:
A gem of a delivery from Dillon Pennington to dismiss Cheteshwar Pujara 👌#CountyCricket2022pic.twitter.com/GMZWx05GKG
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) April 23, 2022