Playing XI of India in Cheteshwar Pujara's 1st Test: Where are they now?

It was in 2010 that Cheteshwar Pujara made his Test debut for Team India. 13 years later, the batter from Saurashtra will be playing his 100th Test Match. On that note, in this article, we take a look at the playing XI of India in Cheteshwar Pujara's 1st Test.

With the Fab 4 of Indian Cricket close to retirement, India was looking for replacements. For the No.3 spot, it was Pujara's domestic form that made him a strong contender. Although he batted at No.5 in the first innings of his debut game, in the second innings, MS Dhoni used the player at No.3 ahead of Rahul Dravid. Pujara responded with a fine knock and helped India win the game. Incidentally, Pujara's first game was against Australia and his 100th match will also be against the same opposition.

Openers: Murali Vijay and Virender Sehwag

Murali Vijay and Virender Sehwag were the openers in the playing XI of India in Cheteshwar Pujara's 1st Test. While Sehwag had a forgettable outing in this encounter, Vijay did well. He got a hundred in the first innings and then some 37 useful runs in the second innings. Vijay retired from the game recently while Sehwag now serves as a commentator and also runs a school.

Middle-Order: Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Suresh Raina, Cheteshwar Pujara and MS Dhoni (C&WK)

Rahul Dravid is currently the Head Coach of Team India. Sachin Tendulkar, who hit a double century in that game, is currently the Mentor of Mumbai Indians. Suresh Raina retired from the game last year and recently played in the T10 League. MS Dhoni has retired from international cricket but will lead CSK in IPL 2023 in a few weeks. Pujara was dropped from the Indian Team a few months ago. However, after a strong show in the County Championship, he has returned to the Indian setup. He has also done well, including playing a few vital knocks in tough situations.

Bowlers: Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Pragyan Ojha and S Sreesanth

Zaheer Khan and S Sreesanth were the pacers in the playing XI of India in Cheteshwar Pujara's 1st Test. Harbhajan Singh had a memorable outing in that encounter. Bhajji is into politics right now. Zaheer Khan holds a role in the Mumbai Indians setup and recently got promoted. Pragyan Ojha is into administration after retiring from the spot. S Sreesanth retired from the game last year and currently plies his trade in a few leagues outside India.