As he gears up for his 50th Test, the dependable No 3 Chesteshwar Pujara has created his own identity and moulded his game perfectly to the needs of this current Indian Test side. When he broke into the international scene, he was forced into comparisons with India great Rahul Dravid. His performances in the domestic circuit had promised nothing less.

But the international stage wasn’t as smooth for the Saurashtra batsman, who slogged through many ups and downs, before finally cementing his place in the Indian Test outfit. Now, he will play his 50th Test as India take on Sri Lanka in Colombo for the second match of the series they lead 1-0.

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Here’s a look at some of Pujara’s memorable knocks.

92 vs Australia in Bengaluru (March 2017)

  • Balls: 221; 4s: 7. 6s: 0.

Pujara’s 92 and a match-winning partnership with Ajnkya Rahane allowed India to secure a great win against Australia and level the series after a shock loss in the first Test. The stand of 118 runs helped India post a decent total against the visitors and paved the way for a crucial victory. Coming into bat at number three, the 29-year-old formed crucial stands with KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja and Rahane. The application and intent of the knock even saw skipper Kohli term Pujara as the best Test batsman in India. Though he fell short of completing a ton, Pujara managed to showcase a gritty side of his batsmanship on the day.

202 vs Australia in Ranchi (March 2017)

  • Balls 525; 4s: 21, 6s: 0.

Pujara set up one of the most unique records in cricket when he scored 202 runs off an astonishing 525 balls against Australia in March this year. His stay the crease lasted for 665 minutes. Not only was it the longest innings by an Indian in terms of balls, but was exactly what India needed at the stage in the match as well as the series. Concentration, patience, and a flawless technique saw the Saurashtra batsman frustrate Australia, who targeted him with short deliveries throughout his stay. Considering the hostile attack, he relied on singles through the knock. He scored as many as 91 runs from his tally in singles.

206* vs England in Ahmedabad (November 2012)

  • Balls: 389; 4s: 21, 6s: 0.

Pujara batted for nearly eight and an half hours as he posted his first-ever double century and introduced himself to the world as a formidable player and as India’s solution to the void left behind by Rahul Dravid’s departure. Pujara was at the crease for 389 deliveries and smashed 21 boundaries. Despite his long stay at the crease, he batted in a composed manner, producing an assured performance that completely shut out the opposition. There was no flourish in the way he played, but a calmness that set him apart. The knock helped India declare their first innings on a formidable total of 521. England were zapped of their confidence from there on and were forced to follow on, before surrendering to India who clinched a nine-wicket win.

204 vs Australia in Hyderabad (March 2013)

  • Balls: 341; 4s: 30, 6s: 1.

Pujara scored his second double century as he smashed 204 runs against Australia in Hyderabad in 2013. It was another classic Test innings from the batsman, who produced another patient and calming knock for his side. The effort, though, wasn’t quite soothing for the opposition that ended up toiling for a considerable amount of time on the ground. The highlight of his stay at the crease was his record partnership with Murali Vijay. The duo added 370 runs, the highest such stand for a second-wicket pair. On back of the effort, India romped to victory by a margin of an innings and 135 runs.

145* vs Sri Lanka in Colombo (August 2015)

  • Balls: 289; 4s: 14, 6s: 0.

Dropped for the final Test against Australia in January 2015, Pujara was at terrible low. His absence from the one-off Bangladesh that followed only added salt to his wounds. His exclusion from the first two Tests in Sri Lanka that August further underscored his downward trajectory. But he got a break in the third Test as India were an opener short. In his first innings at the top of the order, he made an unbeaten 145, thus becoming the only Indian to carry his bat in a Test innings after Sunil Gavaskar and Virender Sehwag. The innings saw India win the game and with it the series – their first in Sri Lanka since 1993. The knock resurrected Pujara’s fledgling career.