Cheteshwar Pujara Profile: Age, Date of Birth and Career Info

Cheteshwar Pujara Profile – Biography, Family, Career & Net Worth

Cheteshwar Pujara Biography

Cheteshwar Arvind Pujara was born on 25th January 1988 in Rajkot, Gujarat, hailing from a cricket-rich family. He grew up in a disciplined, middle-class household that deeply valued education and sports. Born in the cricket-passionate city of Rajkot, Pujara started playing the game early as a kid, which led him to an international career spanning more than a decade.

Pujara has recently turned 37, and is estimated to be 180 cm (5 ft 11 in) tall. Pujara is a right-handed top-order batsman, known for his resilience in Test cricket, and is called India’s modern-day Test specialist. His compact defence and exceptional composure on the field made him a direct successor to Rahul Dravid, with fans calling him The Wall 2.0, who played at No. 3 for India in the longer format.

Early Life of Cheteshwar Pujara

Parents & Background

Cheteshwar Pujara was born into a cricket-rich family, with his father, Arvind Pujara, a former Ranji cricket player who represented Saurashtra. He was not only his father, but Pujara’s first and most influential coach in his early stages, who shaped Pujara’s technical foundation required for Test Cricket.

Pujara’s mother, Reema, was a homemaker and a constant pillar of emotional support. Reema passed away when Cheteshwar was just 17 years old. Pujara always mentions in interviews that his mother's memory continues to inspire him to stay grounded, focused throughout his life and career.

Hometown & Early Beginnings

Born in Rajkot, Gujarat, Pujara grew up in a cricket-rich environment, where the sport was not just popular but followed with passion. Rajkot is known for its vibrant and competitive cricket culture, shaping young boys with talent through all the modern facilities.

Pujara picked up the bat at a very young age, practicing for so long after school hours under his father’s guidance. He rose through the ranks, dominating school tournaments and making a name for himself at a very young age, with his technique and determination. 

Education & Cricketing Foundations

Schooling & Coaching

Cheteshwar Pujara completed his schooling in Rajkot, and he balanced intense cricket coaching alongside it with the help of his father, Arvind Pujara, and various coaches from Saurashtra. During the early years of his practice, he mainly mastered the skill of tackling swing and spin by practicing on typical Indian wickets.

India U‑19 Breakthrough

The rigorous practice led to his first international breakthrough when he was picked for the Indian U-19 team for the World Cup alongside Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, and Piyush Chawla. Playing as a top-order batter, Pujara amassed 349 runs at an average of 116.3, including a match-winning century against England in the semifinals. His solid performance earned him the Player of the Tournament award. This tournament established him as a long-format prospect, and he slowly became a regular starter for Saurashtra in the Ranji Trophy.

Domestic Career & Rise with Saurashtra

Cheteshwar Pujara has been the backbone of Saurashtra cricket for a very long time, constantly dominating the tournament with consistent run-scoring. He built a reputation for his marathon innings, stretching his knocks across multiple sessions, which certainly made him a nightmare for bowlers, grinding them down with slow-build innings, patience, and solid technique.

Pujara played at the No. 3 spot regularly for Saurashtra, piling up centuries and double centuries. He holds the distinction of being among the top 5 run-scorers in the Ranji Trophy, with a record 18 double centuries, the most by an Indian player in the tournament. The ‘red-ball machine’ has led his team to multiple Ranji Trophy finals, eventually guiding them to a title win.

His impact in domestic cricket certainly earned him an India call-up in a modern era where the game is shifting towards an aggressive batting style. Pujara made it to the top with his grassroots technique, which highlighted the importance of first-class cricket in producing technically sound batters.

Cheteshwar Pujara International Career Journey 

Test Debut & Early Impact

Cheteshwar Pujara made his anticipated Test debut against Australia in Bengaluru in October 2010 under MS Dhoni. He played at number 3, replacing the legendary Rahul Dravid in that position. Under tremendous pressure, Pujara impressed everyone with his fluent knock of 72 on his debut, playing a key role in India's series-clinching chase.
He further cemented his place with his maiden century against New Zealand in Hyderabad in 2012. His solid 159 runs showcased a textbook knock filled with composure in the middle. This knock set the tone for what would become a long and dependable Cheteshwar Pujara Test career.

Backbone of India’s Test Middle Order

As years passed, Pujara became the backbone of India’s Test middle order, especially in overseas conditions. He played a major role in India’s Border-Gavaskar Trophy triumph in 2018–19 and again in 2020–21. In the 2019 series, he was named Player of the Series, having scored 521 runs across 4 Tests, including three centuries, at an average of around 73. That Player of the Series run was built with temperament and composure, as he faced around 1,258 deliveries — the most by an Indian batter against Australia in a Test series.

In the 2020–21 series, he failed to convert his starts into centuries. However, he brought his marathon knocks in Brisbane and Sydney, taking body blows and grinding out long innings that laid the foundation for India’s remarkable series win. Known for his resilience, Pujara was celebrated as one of the modern-day Test specialists by the fans.

Limited Overs & Overseas Leagues

Cheteshwar Pujara had a brief ODI stint between 2013 and 2014, where he represented India in 5 ODI internationals. Unlike the longer format, Pujara’s typical method of playing by the textbook didn’t fit the tempo of ODI cricket, as it demanded a bit more fast-paced innings from him. Though he began his white-ball career with a 50 on his debut against Zimbabwe, his constant failures held him back, as he couldn’t establish himself as a white-ball player.

However, going back to his strengths, Pujara found great success with his county stint in England, where he played for Sussex, Derbyshire, and Yorkshire. His prolific run-scoring in the County Championship reaffirmed his red-ball credentials, as he consistently piled up centuries and double centuries for his sides.

In the 2022 County season, he piled up over 1,000 runs at an average above 100, including 5 centuries and two double centuries, earning him the nickname "The Wall 2.0." His overseas stint during the off-season helped him stay fit and focused and kept him in the rhythm of playing long-format cricket.

IPL & Franchise Cricket

Cheteshwar Pujara, known for his classic Test match temperament, has been part of various Indian Premier League (IPL) teams, including Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Punjab Kings (PBKS), and recently Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Though he was part of multiple teams, he didn't get frequent opportunities with the bat, as he was mainly selected for his experience. His batting style didn’t match the impact of modern-day power hitters.

However, out of respect and admiration, he was picked by the Chennai Super Kings during the mini auction in 2020 for the IPL 2021 season. Though he didn’t play any matches, he remained a crucial part of the squad by sharing his knowledge on the bench. That season, CSK won their 4th IPL title, and Pujara became an IPL champion, which was also his final appearance in franchise cricket.

Personal Life & Relationships 

Marriage & Family

Cheteswar Pujara married Puja Pabari in 2013. The couple has a daughter named Aditi, who was born in 2018. Pujara often speaks about his family and how life remains a priority, and he values the time spent with his wife and daughter during breaks from the game..

Off‑Field Lifestyle

Pujara is known for his spiritual lifestyle and approach as he prioritizes his fitness, focusing more on endurance and mental toughness to have a long career. Pujara’s routine includes yoga, meditation, and a strict diet to maintain his shape for his ability to grind through long innings.

Cheteshwar Pujara Net Worth, Salary & Endorsements 

Estimated Net Worth 

Cheteshwar Pujara’s estimated net worth is around 75 crores in 2025. His income primarily comes from BCCI contracts, domestic cricket, and endorsements. During his prime, Pujara held a ‘Grade A’ central contract with the BCCI, but over time, as he focused exclusively on Test cricket for India, he was moved down to the ‘Grade B’ category..

Sponsorship and Partnership

He has partnered with brands such as SG (Sanspareils Greenlands), Fantasy Dangal, and occasionally with Adidas, Coinswitch Kuber, Vivo, SBI, and ICICI Lombard. However, because of his low-key personality, some brands saw him as “too sedate,” which limited his endorsement opportunities despite his consistent performance and strong character.

Awards, Records & Achievements

Media, Social Presence & Public Persona

Cheteshwar Pujara maintains an active social media presence, particularly on Instagram, where he shares his on and off-field updates. His account is filled with glimpses of his training sessions, moments with family and friends, and virtual interactions with his fans. However, his presence on Twitter is less frequent, but he occasionally connects with fans through Q&A sessions and promotes valuable life lessons..

Instagram:  @cheteshwar_pujara

Twitter/X: @ cheteshwar1 

Despite his personal social media presence, Pujara has been far more active in analysing matches in recent times, specifically speaking for ESPNcricinfo, where he was part of the broadcasting team for the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy and featured in multiple interviews.

Trivia & Fun Facts About Cheteshwar Pujara

• Nicknamed “The New Wall” – A tribute to Rahul Dravid. Known for rock-solid defense and immense patience
• Third Indian to bat on all five days of a Test — vs Sri Lanka, Kolkata, 2017.
• Pujara became the only Indian to score double hundreds in three consecutive first-class matches 
• Meditates before matches to calm nerves and sharpen focus, which helps him stay focused, composed, and distraction-free.
• In the IPL era, Pujara chose to focus on Test cricket. Prioritizing red ball cricket over T20 fame