Former Indian cricket team batter Ajinkya Rahane shared a hilarious story about his ex-teammate Cheteshwar Pujara from their playing days. During Day 3 of the first Test match between India and Sri Lanka, he recalled how Pujara did not like to field after batting in a Test match. The former India batter added that the youngsters in the team, including him, had to field in close-in positions as Pujara’s substitutes. When asked about his personal experiences, Rahane revealed that he once had to field at short leg when Pujara wanted to take a rest during a Test match.
“When he played, and I was the 12th man, whenever he came after his batting, bhaisahab ko fielding nahi karni hoti thi (he did not want to field). He used to sit inside, and a youngster had to go in. I have gone in to field at short leg for him, and we have been hit quite a lot,” he said on Sony Sports Network.
Meanwhile, Ravindra Jadeja entered an elite group in Test cricket as the India all-rounder completed 350 wickets in the longest format during the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle.
The 37-year-old Jadeja became only the fifth Indian bowler to reach the mark in Tests, joining Anil Kumble (619), Ravichandran Ashwin (537), Kapil Dev (434) and Harbhajan Singh (417).
Among left-arm spinners, Jadeja now sits third for Test wickets behind Sri Lanka’s Rangana Herath (433) and New Zealand’s Daniel Vettori (362).
Jadeja reached the landmark when Sri Lanka batter Keshara Nuwantha attempted to attack an away-turning delivery, only to mistime his shot. Shubman Gill completed the catch, giving Jadeja his 350th Test wicket.
The milestone also saw Jadeja join former India captain Kapil Dev as the only Indians to have amassed more than 4,000 Test runs and 350 wickets. Jadeja began the match with 4,095 runs and 348 wickets from 89 Tests.
Overall, Jadeja became only the fourth player to achieve the combination of 4,000-plus runs and 350-plus wickets in Test cricket, joining Kapil Dev, England’s Ian Botham and New Zealand’s Daniel Vettori.
(With ANI inputs)
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