Cheteshwar Pujara, who has just called time on his cricketing career, was best known as India’s rock in Test cricket. Yet, he also featured in the Indian Premier League, where his classical style had a limited but notable presence.
Pujara made his IPL debut in 2010 for Kolkata Knight Riders, who picked him up for ₹80 lakh. Over the next few years, he represented multiple franchises, including Royal Challengers Bangalore, Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings), and later
Chennai Super Kings in 2021.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Across his IPL career, Pujara played 30 matches, scoring 390 runs at an average of 20.52 and a strike rate of 99.74. He managed one half-century, a fluent 51, but never quite established himself as a regular starter given the fast-paced demands of T20 cricket.
His IPL timeline:
- 2010-2011: Kolkata Knight Riders
- 2011-2013: Royal Challengers Bangalore
- 2014: Kings XI Punjab
- 2021: Chennai Super Kings (base price ₹50 lakh, though he did not play a match that season; part of the CSK squad that won the IPL title)
Despite being pigeonholed as a “Test specialist”, Pujara was far from a one-dimensional cricketer. He showed glimpses of range-hitting ability in domestic T20s and even in County cricket, but IPL teams often preferred power-hitters.
His presence at CSK in 2021 was symbolic, as he was given a grand guard of honour by teammates during training, highlighting the respect he commanded in Indian cricket circles.
While his IPL numbers may not shine as brightly as his Test record, Pujara’s journey serves as a reminder that T20 cricket does not always reward grit and patience — qualities that made him indispensable in the longer format.
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