Cheteshwar Pujara returns to Nottinghamshire for the final four Championship games

India’s star Test batsman Cheteshwar Pujara is set to return to the Nottinghamshire camp for their final four County Championship games in Division Two. Pujara featured in four Championship matches at the start of the season as a cover of the Australian pacer James Pattinson, who returned to the Australian team for national duties in the Champions Trophy.

Pujara scored 223 runs in the four games for Nottingham in his last visit which includes a 112-run knock against Gloucestershire. The 29-year-old had successful stints with the county sides, Derbyshire and Yorkshire respectively in 2014 and 2015. In the 11 championship games Pujara has played for the three teams, he aggregated 706 runs at an average of 50.43 including three centuries and three fifties.

“We have got two really big home games against Northants and Worcester because it is a chance for us to put pressure on two sides that are up there with us. Runs on the board at Trent Bridge is always a big influence and having a player of Test match quality in Pudji [Pujara] is a real bonus.” said the Nottinghamshire Head Coach Peter Moores.

Though Pujara averaged only 44.44 at the start of the season for the Notts, his form improved during India’s tour of Sri Lanka where he scored 309 runs in three Tests at an average of 77.25 including two centuries.

Pujara is a fantastic player

“The great thing is that he has already been in the squad this season and he fitted in so well both on and off the field,” Moores was quoted as saying by the Nottinghamshire website. “He is a fantastic player, and since he has been away he has had a great time of it in the Test matches for India. So we are getting a guy who is coming back in form and for the team spirit, Pudji coming back in is a huge boost for everybody,” he added.

Pujara will be available for Nottinghamshire to play their home fixtures against Northamptonshire and Worcestershire, followed by the away matches against Northamptonshire and Sussex. Notts’ home game against Worcestershire (starting on September 5th) will witness the clash of Indian Test team’s Titans; Pujara and Ravichandran Ashwin. The Worcester have recently signed up Ashwin for their remaining championship games in place of injured John Hastings.