India’s middle-order batsman Cheteshwar Pujara on Monday achieved a rare feat, becoming only the third Indian and ninth overall to bat across five days in a Test match.
When Pujara came out to bat this morning on the final day of the opening Test against Sri Lanka, he joined ML Jaisimha and Ravi Shastri in the elite list. Incidentally they had also achieved the rare feat at the Eden Gardens.
Rain interruption on day one and two did help Pujara’s cause.
Pujara had come in to bat on day one after opener Rahul was dismissed in the first ball and went on hit a gritty 52 under testing conditions.
Pujara remained unbeaten on eight runs having faced 32 deliveries on day one. He added 39 runs in his unbeaten knock and faced 70 balls on day two. Pujara added five from 15 balls on day three before being cleaned up by Lahiru Gamage.
Pujara faced nine balls on Sunday and on Monday he added 20 to his overnight total of two, having faced 42 deliveries before being done in by Suranga Lakmal.
Incidentally Pujara’s aggregate of 74 runs (52 and 22) is the lowest among the nine players to bat all 5 days, going below 94 by Jaisimha (20* and 74).
Jaisimha was the first batsman to achieve the milestone which had come against Australia in 1960, scoring 20 not out and 74.
Shastri entered the club in 1984 against England scoring 111 and 7 not out.
The other cricketers in the list include Geoffrey Boycott (England), Kim Hughes (Australia), Allan Lamb (England), Adrian Griffith (West Indies), Andrew Flintoff (England) and Alviro Peterson of South Africa.