India's champion Test batter Cheteshwar Pujara is making it extremely hard for the national selectors for the upcoming Test match against England with his rich vein of form for Sussex in the ongoing season of County Championship.
Pujara, on Saturday, peeled off his 4th three-figure score in as many fixtures, during the 2nd innings of the Division II match between Sussex and Middlesex.
The Saurashtra batsman looked at his imperious best against the Shaheen Shah Afridi-led Middlesex attack as he painted the Hove Cricket Ground with sumptuous and, at times, authoritative stroke play.
The 33-year-old won the mini Indo-Pak rivalry against Shaheen Afridi with some scintillating strokes against the Pakistani cricketer, including an upper-cut for a six and a disdainful backfoot punch.
Pujara stroked 22 fours and three sixes during his unbeaten knock of 170 runs, which came off just 197 deliveries. However, his innings eventually came to a halt after Sussex decided to declare.
His 170 was on the back of three 100+ scores that Pujara has accumulated this season. The right-handed batsman started the season with an unbeaten 201 against Derbyshire and followed it up with 109 and 203 against Worcestershire and Durham, respectively.
Pujara, a 95-Test veteran, was dropped from the red-ball set-up following a prolonged lean patch after India's series defeat in South Africa.
While he made valuable contributions in Test victories in Australia and England, consistent failures in the 1st innings and lack of centuries since January 2019 hurt the Saurashtra cricketer. As a result, Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane were finally shown the door by the selectors after the defeat in South Africa.
Now that Pujara is back among runs, it will be interesting if the national selectors return to the Test veteran for the all-important final Test against England.
Hanuma Vihari has waited for long enough and deserves to get an extended opportunity at the No.3 spot, but given the glut of runs Pujara is churning out, he is making it impossible for the selectors to overlook him.
India, who are currently leading by 2-1 in the Pataudi Trophy, will play the decider at Edgbaston between July 01-05. The Test was supposed to take place at Old Trafford last September but was eventually postponed due to a Covid outbreak in the Indian camp.