Cheteshwar Pujara Retires: A Look Back At ODI Career– Matches Played, Runs Scored

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Cheteshwar Pujara, one of India's most reliable Test batsmen of the modern era, has called time on his cricketing journey, announcing his retirement from Indian cricket on Sunday (August 24). While his legacy as a rock-solid Test match specialist is well-celebrated, his brief stint in One-Day Internationals (ODIs) often goes unnoticed.

Pujara's ODI career was as short as it was challenging. He featured in just five matches for India, scoring 51 runs with a highest score of 27. Known primarily for his classical technique and patience at the crease, Pujara struggled to adapt to the faster pace of the 50-over format at the international level.

His ODI debut came during the Zimbabwe tour in 2013, a series where India had already sealed victory by the time he received his maiden cap. Batting in the fourth ODI, Pujara could only manage 13 runs and followed it up with a first-ball duck in the final match of the series.

The Saurashtra stalwart had to wait nearly a year for his next opportunity. In 2014, with several senior players rested for India's tour of Bangladesh, Pujara was included in the squad and played all three ODIs under stand-in skipper Suresh Raina. However, the outing proved to be disappointing as he recorded scores of 0, 11, and 27. His highest ODI score of 27 came in the final match of that series, but it wasn't enough to cement his place.

Interestingly, Pujara's first ODI call-up came in early 2013 for the home series against England. At the time, he was in prolific form in domestic cricket, having just scored a triple century in the Ranji Trophy. However, despite being in the squad, he didn't make his debut then and was not released to represent Saurashtra in what turned out to be their first-ever Ranji Trophy final.

With India's full-strength squad returning ahead of the 2015 World Cup, Pujara found himself out of contention in white-ball cricket and focused solely on Tests, where he became one of India's all-time greats.

Though his ODI career never quite took off, Pujara's contribution to Indian cricket, particularly in the longest format, remains invaluable. His retirement marks the end of a career built on grit, patience, and unshakeable determination.