3 Months Before England Series, Forgotten Star Sends Message to India:

The Indian cricket team has been riding high in white-ball cricket, securing two ICC trophies in the last nine months. However, their performance in red-ball cricket has been far from ideal. After back-to-back series losses against New Zealand and Australia, India also failed to qualify for the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 final.

One major absence in India's Border-Gavaskar Trophy squad in Australia was Cheteshwar Pujara—a seasoned Test specialist. Reports had suggested that Pujara was in contention for selection, but he was ultimately not included. Now, with just three months to go before India’s crucial five-match Test series against England in June, Pujara has made his intentions clear about a possible comeback.

Pujara Keen on India Return, Focused on Domestic & County Cricket

In a conversation with RevSportz, Cheteshwar Pujara expressed his strong desire to return to the Indian team. The veteran batter emphasized that he is actively working towards regaining his spot by performing consistently in domestic and county cricket.

"Yes, of course. As a cricketer, you always want to play for the Indian team. And I am doing whatever I can to achieve that success. If the team needs me, I'm definitely ready. I've been playing domestic cricket. I've been playing county cricket for the last couple of years. I've been scoring heavily in the domestic circuit. So if given an opportunity, yes, I'll be more than ready to grab it with both hands," Pujara said.

Missed Opportunity in Australia: Pujara Confident India Would Have Won with Him in the Squad

Pujara last played for India in the WTC 2023 final against Australia. Reflecting on India's recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy loss in Australia, Pujara stated that had he been part of the squad, India could have secured a historic third consecutive Test series win Down Under.

"Yes, I was very confident. If I was there, then we wanted to make a hat-trick. So I wouldn't deny that," he added.

'India Can Win in England' – Pujara Confident Ahead of Test Series

India is gearing up for a high-stakes five-match Test series against England in June 2025, which will be crucial for their World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 campaign. Pujara believes that India has a great opportunity to register a historic series win in England, especially given the retirement of England’s legendary fast bowlers, James Anderson and Stuart Broad.

"This Indian team definitely has a very good chance. Even if you look at the England bowling lineup, they are slightly weaker after Anderson has retired, and Stuart Broad is not there anymore in the playing XI," Pujara stated.

With India’s Test squad set to be announced in the coming months, all eyes will be on whether Cheteshwar Pujara can make a return to the longest format and help India script history in England.