India v England, 1st Test: India Player Ratings

Cheteshwar Pujara – 8/10:

The local boy Cheteshwar Pujara continued his merry run at Rajkot. Having scored tons of runs at this venue in domestic cricket, nobody knew the wicket more than he did. The new wall of the Indian team did not disappoint either. He struck a magnificent ton in the first innings to delight the crowds.

The key feature of his innings was his intent. Unlike his conventional manner of play, he did not only block the balls but played his shots freely. He outplayed his partner Murali Vijay in having a higher strike rate. Pujara hit 124 off 206 balls with 17 boundaries. For the selfless man that he is, Pujara decided not to review his dismissal in the second innings and departed for 18.