Former Indian batter Cheteshwar Pujara might have retired from international cricket, but fans still recall his performances. The 38-year-old was the biggest reason behind India’s dual success on Australian shores in 2018/19 and 2020/21. He enjoyed great battles against Aussie pacers, and one of them was Josh Hazlewood, who is still going strong. 

Pujara revisited an incident during the 2021 IPL where he was part of the Chennai Super Kings squad along with the Australian seamer. That year, the Indian didn’t play any games for the team but saw his side go on to win their 4th IPL title. Hazlewood competed in nine games and claimed 11 wickets in the title-winning season. 

Speaking on a JioStar program called ‘Cheeky Singles’, Pujara revealed that Hazlewood didn’t bowl to him in the nets during their stint with Chennai. “During the Australian tours of 2018 and 2020, Ihad played a lot against Hazlewood. That year, Chennai signed him, and when I went to bat in the nets, Josh refused to bowl to me.”

“Hazlewood said that he had bowled many times to me over the previous few months before the IPL. Even though he was joking, Josh actually didn’t bowl to me in the nets.” Both players had enjoyed extensive battles against each other, with the right-arm seamer from New South Wales dismissing the former Saurashtra great six times. 

What is Pujara’s IPL record?

Despite having a storied red-ball career, the batter played just 20 games in the IPL and scored 390 runs at an average of 20 and a strike rate of 99. His only fifty came while playing for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the 2013 season against Punjab Kings in Mohali. His final season in the league came in 2014, when the batter played six matches, amassing 125 runs with the bat for Punjab as the side qualified for the final.

Meanwhile, the Aussie seamer, during a chat, had praised the Indian batter for his toughness. “It is a thrill for bowlers to dismiss Pujara. When you end up getting him out, it means you have earned his wicket and have put in lots of hard work. He is someone with whom I have had great battles. He is a batter many Australians love to hate, but he’s a fantastic player.”

Pujara ended his career with 7195 runs from 103 Tests with 19 centuries and 35 fifties at an average of 43.6. The batter scored 2074 runs against the Aussies from 25 Tests at an average of 49, with five tons and 11 fifties.