Cheteshwar Pujara’s retirement came as a shock to the cricket fraternity, as the gifted cricketer still had it in him to continue playing competitive cricket. Making his Test debut in 2010, the right-hander garnered 7,195 runs in 103 games at an average of 43.60, with 19 centuries. Pujara was another addition to the list of Indian Test legends like Virat Kohli, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Rohit Sharma, who didn’t get a proper farewell match in the longest format. Let’s take a look at what factors cut short Cheteshwar Pujara’s cricket career.

Reasons Behind Cheteshwar Pujara’s Retirement

Cheteshwar Pujara played a key role in India’s series victories in the 2018-19 and 2020-21 editions of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. However, he couldn’t be potent enough in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2021-23 edition. He garnered 928 runs in 17 games at an average of 32, with a solitary century. He failed badly in the WTC final against Australia in June 2023, returning with scores of 14 and 27, which turned out to be his final appearance in whites for the Indian team.

One of Indian cricket’s most resolute and admired Test specialists, @cheteshwar1, has announced his retirement from all forms of the game.

Relive one of his prolific knocks against Australia at Ranchi.#ThankYouPujji pic.twitter.com/1zb22SPWN6

— BCCI (@BCCI) August 24, 2025

The 37-year-old was sensational in the Ranji Trophy 2023-24, where he emerged as the third-highest run-getter with 829 runs in 13 innings. However, with the beginning of a new WTC cycle, the emergence of players like Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal, along with a change in how Test cricket was played, played a key role in Pujara failing to make a comeback to the Indian side.

The Ranji Trophy 2024/25 saw Cheteshwar Pujara scoring 402 runs at an average of 40.20 in seven games. Although he didn’t take part in any competitions after the tournament, he was expected to be fighting for a spot by doing well in the 2025/26 domestic season. However, the future of Cheteshwar Pujara’s cricket career was evident after he was excluded from the Duleep Trophy squads. The tournament kickstarts the domestic season, and the finest players from each zone compete against each other.

𝑮𝒓𝒊𝒕, 𝒅𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒆 👊

Cheteshwar Pujara stood tall for India in the most trying of circumstances 👏 pic.twitter.com/DnHqQD69Gg

— ICC (@ICC) August 24, 2025

The exclusion signalled that Pujara is not in the scheme of things for the selectors, and his fate is already sealed. With no hopes of a comeback, he chose to bid farewell to all forms of cricket. His retirement comes at a time when the selectors have focused on picking players with enough flexibility and who could adapt their playing style as per the situation and the opposition.

What Did Pujara Say About His Retirement Decision?

During an interview with India Today, Cheteshwar Pujara opened up on the rationale behind his decision to retire from the game. The former batter expressed his satisfaction after getting to represent the country in over 100 Tests and giving his 100% on the field. Thereafter, Pujara disclosed that the thought of taking retirement crossed him a week ago, when he was about to begin his preparation for the domestic season. After consultation with family members and former cricketers, he ended his career.

“I think one needs to decide—there always comes a time in a sportsperson’s life when you need to move on. For me, this thought came just about a week ago, when I started talking to my family members. I was almost about to begin my preparation for the season, but I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to carry on. So I spoke to my family, my friends, some teammates, and senior cricketers whom I always consult.”

Another key reason behind the end of Cheteshwar Pujara’s cricket career was his wish to hand the baton to the younger players. He wanted youngsters to gain experience and progress in their careers, as he had already fallen out of favour.

“I felt it might be the right time to move on because it also gives an opportunity to a younger player to be part of the Saurashtra squad, gain experience, and step into that role to progress in his career. My decision was largely about providing that opportunity to younger players, since I haven’t been part of the Indian team for the last couple of years,” he added.

Fans Wanted a Farewell Match for Cheteshwar Pujara’s Retirement

Cheteshwar Pujara endured long batting hours to dominate the opposition with his grit and perseverance. For instance, his 56-run knock against Australia in Gabba will always be remembered by the fans, as he copped body blows to eventually play a role in India’s famous victory. Although Pujara was not among the most popular players, his contributions in overseas or home Tests were immense. He ensured to tire out the bowlers with his compact defence and allowed his partners to score runs at a faster pace.

A distinguished career, defined by resilience, patience, and an unflinching commitment to the longest form of the game.#ThankYouPujji | @cheteshwar1 pic.twitter.com/tDu0Uiw4RE

— BCCI (@BCCI) August 24, 2025

Most of the fans felt Cheteshwar Pujara’s retirement should have been a celebratory send-off to one of the finest Test players of the country in the last decade. They expressed their wish to have seen Pujara getting a proper farewell match along with other players like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravichandran Ashwin, who recently retired from the longest format.

Kohli’s Insta story for Pujara ♥️

Say what you will, but they all deserved a farewell match. Retiring them from the ground is the least we can do for them. pic.twitter.com/UG1v5mkgtk

— Yashvi (@BreatheKohli) August 26, 2025

BCCI has stopped giving farewell matches since Sachin’s retirement, which is perhaps the worst thing to happen in Indian cricket.

You don’t need to give it to everyone but the likes of Cheteshwar Pujara richly deserved a fitting farewell in their home ground.

— AntiBazballian ™ (Joe Root Paglu) (@rs_3702) August 24, 2025

Notably, Kohli is the most successful Indian Test captain with 40 wins in 68 matches and helped India remain number one in the rankings from the 2016-17 to the 2020-21 seasons. However, the veteran batter announced a shocking retirement similar to Cheteshwar Pujara’s retirement.