Cheteshwar Pujara Breaks Silence On Why He Retired: 'When I Was In The UK...'

Last Updated: August 28, 2025, 15:28 IST

Cheteshwar Pujara will go down in history as one of India's finest Test batters. (PTI Photo)

Taking a cue from his former India teammates, Cheteshwar Pujara also walked into sunset, drawing curtains on a memorable international career. In the past nine months, top India cricketers have announced retirements including Ravichandran Ashwin (all forms of Indian cricket), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli (both from Tests) with Pujara being the latest to join the club.

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Even though Pujara last played a Test for India in 2023, he was a regular fixture in Indian domestic cricket and was in fact, looking forward to the latest season that got underway from Thursday with the Duleep Trophy quarterfinals in Bengaluru.

Then what led to the change of heart?

“When I was in the UK (on broadcasting duties during Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy), I was actually looking forward to the season," Pujara told news agency PTI. “But once I came back home, I was settling in and when I was about to start my preparation for the Ranji Trophy, I wanted to speak to my family, to my friends, some of my colleagues. What are their thoughts on me playing this season."

“Because I knew that if I played another season, I would be holding a spot in the team and I didn’t want to do that. And I wasn’t 100 per cent sure that I wanted to carry on playing the entire season," he added.

Pujara said it’s time to hand over the baton to the next generation.

“So I thought that it was the best time for me to move on and provide an opportunity to the younger player who can be part of the Saurashtra team," he said.

True to his batting style, Pujara is known for his calm demeanour and an affable personality. And he got a little emotional when recalling the contribution of his father Arvind Pujara, his coach and former first-class player, and late mother, Reena Pujara.

“It was an emotional moment for him as well. He also was an inspiration for me because his commitment towards cricket was excellent and I’ve learnt a lot from him. But I also would like to thank my mom," Pujara said.

“I lost my mom when I was 17 because of cancer, but she taught me a lot of things. She taught me to be a good human being. My wife Pooja as well, she has written a book where she writes that it takes a village for a person to be a successful cricketer," he added.

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With PTI Inputs

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