Veteran India middle-order batter Cheteshwar Pujara is all set to play his 100th Test in the second match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, that starts on Friday in Delhi. Pujara will become the 13th Indian to play 100 or more Tests, with Sachin Tendulkar (200 Tests) leading the pack. He made his Test debut in 2010 against Australia and has kept himself in the reckoning in the longest format ever since, overcoming the troughs in his professional career with hard work and determination.

Ahead of the Test match, Pujara and his wife Puja met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday. “It was an honour to meet our Hon. Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji. I will cherish the interaction and encouragement ahead of my 100th Test. Thank you @PMOIndia,” Pujara tweeted.

“Delighted to have met Puja and you today. Best wishes for your 100th Test and your career. @cheteshwar1,” Prime Minister Modi wrote while responding to the tweet.

Delighted to have met Puja and you today. Best wishes for your 100th Test and your career.@cheteshwar1 https://t.co/Ecnv7XWLfv

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 14, 2023

On the upcoming milestone, where his family will be there to cheer him at the stadium, Pujara told ESPNCricinfo, “Yes, it will be my 100th Test match, but you still have a job to do for the team and you focus on that a bit more. We are playing an important series against Australia.

“Yes, the second Test will be my 100th, but there will be two more Tests after that which will be very important for us to win to qualify for the WTC final,” said Pujara, indicating the milestone will be just another footmark in his long professional career.

He added that discipline is one of the biggest prerogatives to excel in Test cricket as the five-day game tests ones character, patience and temperament to the limit.

With PTI inputs

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