Cheteshwar Pujara’s unveiling as a Yorkshire player took place at the Aagrah restaurant in central Leeds yesterday evening, and what really shone through was the Indian batting star’s continued hunger for runs.
Pujara, from Rajkot and with over 13,300 runs to his name at an average approaching 56.5, has returned to Emerald Headingley for his second spell as the club’s overseas player.
He is due to play in seven Specsavers County Championship matches and as many Royal London one-day Cup matches, while he could also return to finish the season with the White Rose in mid-September if international commitments allow.
The 30-year-old first played for Yorkshire in 2015, scoring 264 runs in four Championship matches on the way to the second of back-to-back titles.
Either side of that, he has also played for Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire and has a reputation as one of world cricket’s most patient run-scorers.
“I had a wonderful time in 2015, so when I heard Yorkshire were willing to call me back, I was definitely looking forward to it and said ‘Yes, I would like to come back and spend a lot of time with my team-mates’,” said the man with a career best of 352 to his name.
“The dressing room here was something which stood out for me. It was the reason I came back here.”
