Cricketing universe hails 'Statue of Patience' Cheteshwar Pujara on his 31st birthday

India’s No.3 Cheteshwar Pujara is reminding of the great VVS Laxman. Like Laxman, the former has also gathered a tremendous confidence and attained a higher stature after scoring some memorable knocks against Australia in the recently concluded Test series Down Under that India won. Pujara scored 521 runs while facing over 1,200 balls during the series and slammed as many as three hundreds, one of which almost converted into a double. The new wall of the Indian cricket turned 31 on Friday.

The birthday boy though had little respite on the special occasion as he was busy holding the fort for Saurashtra in the second semi-final of the Ranji Trophy in Bengaluru against Karnataka. The visiting side was 155 for 3 with Pujara batting in the 30s in reply to the home team’s first innings score of 275. The winner will take on Vidarbha in the Ranji Trophy final, as the defending champions decimated Kerala in the other semi-final.

Pujara battled it out for Saurashtra in Ranji on his birthday

Wishes poured in thick and fast for the batsman who showed tremendous resilience in the Australia series, making even the former Aussie greats advise their team to take a leaf out of Pujara’s book. His century on the Day 1 of the first Test in Adelaide after India found themselves in trouble contributed in a big way to set the tone for the entire series.

In terms of wishes, however, it was none other former opener Virender Sehwag who led the pack. In his familiar witty style. The International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India also wished the batsman on his birthday besides his Team India mates like Shikhar Dhawan, Ravichandran Ashwin and Kuldeep Yadav. Former India cricketer Mohammed Kaif also wished him.

Pujara completed 5,000 in Test cricket during the series against Australia and averages above 51 in 68 matches with 18 hundreds.

Here are the wishes that came Pujara’s way on Twitter:

When you are at the pitch , it seems there is a 'Statue of Patience ' at the crease. Wishing you more and more time at the crease and may you achieve even more success. Happy birthday @cheteshwar1 ! pic.twitter.com/bSnKgiAyWu

— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) January 25, 2019

He's India's Test specialist, a rock in the top order who is the only Indian batsman to face over 500 balls in a single Test innings, against Australia at Ranchi in 2017. His three centuries led India to their recent Test series win in Australia.

Happy birthday @cheteshwar1! pic.twitter.com/GceZyDDdYF

— ICC (@ICC) January 25, 2019

Happy Birthday @cheteshwar1. On his 31st birthday we relive one of his famous knocks against Australia. A double ton that had the Pujara imprint written all over it #TeamIndia 🎂🎂 pic.twitter.com/IL1bYqTe3m

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 25, 2019

Wishing you a very happy birthday @cheteshwar1 bhai 🤗have a good one ☝🏻

— Kuldeep yadav (@imkuldeep18) January 25, 2019

It is @cheteshwar1 's birthday today, wish you many more happy returns of the day buddy.

— Ashwin Ravichandran (@ashwinravi99) January 25, 2019

Happy birthday @cheteshwar1 Wishing you a great year ahead full of love, luck and many more hundreds🏏 pic.twitter.com/e4E87ieB9H

— Shikhar Dhawan (@SDhawan25) January 25, 2019

Wishing you more and more time in the middle and more and more success. Thank you for keeping the art of classical Test Match batting alive. Happy birthday @cheteshwar1 Pujara ! pic.twitter.com/VR1uzqfxz8

— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) January 25, 2019

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