Cricket has been evolving over the years, and we can see significant changes. Gone are the days when the game was only associated with big, big names like Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh, and even Rahul Dravid. In fact, in the 21st century, Cheteshwar Pujara is known not just as an Indian Cricketer, but by his talent and profile. It’s a known thing that his caliber is first known, and then fame follows quite loyally behind.
This article will cover details about Cheteshwar Pujara, a player who hails from Gujarat. He is known to the world and has also been compared to Rahul Dravid for his cool temperament. Get to know Cheteshwar Pujara Biography, his stats, retirement updates, Cheteshwar Pujara wife, and much more.
Biography Overview
Cheteshwar Pujara is an Indian cricketer renowned for his role as a Test batsman and is known for his cool, disciplined and patient style of playing. He has represented the Indian national team for over 13 years, thus making him one of the most enthusiastic cricketers in the 21st century.
| Name | Cheteshwar Pujara |
| Age (2025) | 37 years |
| Birthdate | 25th January 1988 |
| Birthplace | Rajkot, Gujarat |
| Player profile | Cricketer; right-handed batting style and right-arm legbreak bowling style |
| Net Worth (2025) | INR 24-25 crores ( Estimated) |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Spouse | Puja Pabari |
His Early Life and Parents
Cheteshwar was born in Rajkot, Gujarat, to a Hindu-Lohana family. His father is Arvind Pujara, whereas his mother is Late Reena Pujara.
Pujara’s father, Arvind, along with his uncle Bipin Pujara, had previously played for the Ranji Trophy cricket in their heyday for Saurashtra. Given that he too knew a thing or two about cricket, Arvind quickly recognized his son’s potential, and both parents encouraged and guided him towards training.
As a child, Cheteshwar started playing at 13 years old, and he got tremendous support from his mother, Reen Puara, but she passed away from cancer in 2005 when he was just 17.
Educational Background
In terms of his education, Pujara’s primary schooling was done at Lal Bahadur Shastri Vidyalaya in Rajkot, and then he went on to pursue a Bachelor’s of Business Administration (BBA) from J.J Kundalia College.
While studying, he also balanced playing cricket and became a youth cricketer who stood out from the crowd for his prolific run-scoring.
Cheteshwar Pujara’s Age and physical attributes
Being born on 25th January 1988, Pujara has recently turned 37 this year. Since his birthday is at the end of January, his zodiac sign is Aquarius.
Although his physical attributes aren’t revealed publicly, he is a right-handed batter with a reputation for being patient and disciplined while concentrating on grinding down attacks. In addition, he is an expert in first-class cricket. Cheteshwar has light brown eyes and brown hair and maintains an average weight of 71 kg or 157 lbs. His height is 1.8 m, approximately 5.91 feet.
When he started his Domestic Career
Early Struggle Phase (2005-2011)
Pujara had managed to make his first-class debut for Saurashtra in December 2005 and, having impressed the authorities there, he also tried out for the India Under-19 2005, and subsequently managed to win the youth internationals as well after scoring an impressive 211.
It was not a surprise that he went on to play the Ranji Trophy, and he made some key performances in the game but failed to get to the top. A significant, sustained knee injury suffered by him during the 2011 IPL season forced him to miss nearly a year of cricket before returning to the field later that year.
Breakthrough and Success (2012 to present)
Cheteshwar went on to make a name for himself despite the situations, and upon returning officially to cricket, he managed to deliver an impressive double and triple century in his entire domestic career. This was highlighted when he scored 203 not out while playing in the 2012-2013 Ranji Trophy against Madhya Pradesh and once again with a score of 352 when he was playing against Karnataka in the next round. Thus, he was able to secure Saurashtra a place in the semi-finals.
It is thus noteworthy to mention that by 25, He played 2 first-class triple centuries—302 against Orissa, 352 against Karnataka, and 306 against the West Indies A.
This proves that over his first-class career, Pujara has been considered a reliable overall run-scorer, who has always maintained an average of 50 for most of his career.
IPL Career
Pujara’s IPL career started in 2010 and he first played for Kolkata Knight Riders. It has not been very exceptional as compared to his successful career in Test cricket. He has, of course, played for several franchise teams like Kolkata Knight Riders (2010), Royal Challengers Bangalore (2011-2013), and Punjab Kings (2014).
His IPL journey has been marked by the highest IPL score, which is 51 – the only half-century in the league made by his lone self.
Across his IPL journey, he has managed to cross the 30-mark only three times and has managed to register two 20+ scores. Although his scores don’t lie, and he has impressed others with his IPL career, his overall T20 technique does not emphasize aerial shots, and he has a very low six-hitting frequency. For this reason, he was not quite an active player in the IPL league games.
Cheteshwar Pujara IPL Team and auction
Cheteshwar has played overall 30 IPL matches, but most of his appearances were between 2010 and 2014.
- 2010: He joined KKR, and this marked his IPL debut season, but the price he was acquired for has not been disclosed
- 2011-2013: He was playing after being acquired by RCB at a price of INR 3.22 crores.
- 2014: He joined Punjab Kings after being acquired for INR 1.9 crores and did not play for seven long years.
- 2021: He was bought by Chennai Super Kings at the IPL season for a price of INR 50 lakhs.
International Career
Cheteshwar’s international career is a lot more promising, especially thanks to his patient and prolific form of battling in Test cricket, and a brief appearance in One Day Internationals (ODIs).
He made his test debut for India back in October 2010, against Australia, and he managed to almost immediately impress the authorities with 72 runs.
Post Rahul Dravid’s retirement in 2012, Pujara became more established as he inherited the legendary no. 3 spot and went on to become the ‘backbone of India’s test batting order‘.
For over a decade, Pujara played 103 tests with an average score of 43.60 and 7,195 runs. This was marked by 19 centuries added to his name in Test Cricket, and he thus brought India success even in the most challenging situations, especially known for playing a vital role in India’s first notable Test series against Australia in 2018-2019. In this game, he had amassed an impressive 521 runs with three centuries.
Cheteshwar Pujara Stats
Batting Career Summary
| Type | Mat | Inns | Runs | BF | HS | Avg | SR | NO | 4s | 6s | 50 | 100 | 200 |
| Test | 103 | 176 | 7195 | 16217 | 206 | 43.61 | 44.3.7 | 11 | 863 | 16 | 35 | 19 | 3 |
| ODI | 5 | 5 | 51 | 130 | 27 | 10.2 | 39.24 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| T20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| IPL | 30 | 22 | 390 | 391 | 51 | 20.52 | 99.74 | 3 | 50 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Bowling Career Stats
| Type | Mat | Inns | Ball | Runs | Wkts | BBI | BBM | Avg. | 4w | 5w | 10w |
| Test | 103 | 2 | 12 | 3 | 0 | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ODI | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 0 | 0 |
| FC | 278 | 23 | 263 | 166 | 6 | 2/4 | 2/4 | 27.66 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| List A | 130 | 1 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| T20s | 71 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
Cheteshwar Pujara Retirement
It might surprise a lot of cricket fans, but Cheteshwar has NOT retired from playing cricket. It might seem so because he has been left out of the Indian test squad since his last appearance in 2023 during the World Test championship finals, but he has made it quite clear, especially in a recent conversation with Sony Sports on May 2025, that he is still very much active and he continues to practice and play domestic cricket.
In an interview with the Indian Express, he mentioned, “I enjoy my cricket. So long as I’m enjoying my cricket, I’ll carry on playing cricket.”
He is currently playing for Saurashtra in domestic cricket and Sussex in the County Championship.
Net Worth of Cheteshwar Pujara
Pujara has a net worth that is reported to be approximately INR 24 crore to 25 crores. (Estimate may vary.) This has been reported via multiple sources, and his income comes primarily from his cricket contracts, both domestic and international, and also from brand endorsements and other business ventures.
His net worth allows him a luxurious lifestyle, which is highlighted by his properties in Rajkot and luxury cars like Audi and Ford.
Personal life
Cheteshwara is married to Puja Pabari, and they were introduced via family friends in an arranged marriage setup. With some time spent in courting, the couple tied the knot on 13th February 2013. On 22nd February 2018, the couple gave birth to a baby girl and named her Aditi.
Cheteshwar Pujara’s wife
Cheteshwar’s wife, Puja Pabari, is an MBA graduate from Gujarat. She has worked as an HR head in a multinational company, and she met Cheteshwar via family friends before tying the knot with him.
Although she had no such idea about cricket at first, she gradually made it a point to become a core part of her husband’s life by supporting him consistently. She has also written a memoir titled ‘The Diary of a Cricketer’s Wife: A Very Unusual Memoir,’ in which she talks about their life together and the various challenges faced behind the scenes.
Social Media Presence
| Social Media Platform | Handle | Followers |
| cheteshwar_pujara | 2.1+ million followers | |
| Twitter/X | cheteshwar1 | 2.9 million followers |
Conclusion
Over the years, Cheteshwar has proved to be quite the cricket player and has rightly been compared to Rahul Dravid for his cool, calm temperament. Despite the fact that he hasn’t been picked by any IPL team in the auction after 2012, he has still made his mark in domestic and international cricket.
Young players certainly look up to him as their inspiration, especially knowing that he is quite far from retirement.
FAQs
No, Cheteshwar Pujara has not retired. He is still active in domestic and county cricket and is hopeful of a comeback to the Indian Test team.
The only Indian cricketer to have faced 500+ balls in a single Test innings is Cheteshwar Pujara, who faced 525 balls while scoring 202 runs against Australia in Ranchi in 2017. It remains one of the longest innings by an Indian in Test history.
Cheteshwar Pujara scored 1 run off 54 balls against Australia during the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2020–21, held at the Sydney Cricket Ground. His ultra-defensive approach was key in helping India secure a historic draw.
Cheteshwar Pujara is famous for his solid defensive technique and immense patience, making him India’s most reliable Test specialist in modern cricket. He’s known for playing long, gritty innings under pressure.
Cheteshwar Pujara is currently active in domestic cricket, consistently contributing to Saurashtra in the Ranji Trophy, and remains ready and hopeful for a recall to India’s Test squad.
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Last updated: 2 August 2025
Written by: Raman
Audited by: Sumitra
Refresh Date: August 21, 2025