A Surprising Incident in Cheteshwar Pujara's Career That Few Were Aware Of

Cheteshwar Pujara is regarded as one of the most consistent Test cricketers India has ever had. He has guided India through numerous difficult times with his composed attitude and powerful batting style. But behind his reserved nature and stable performances, there were periods of silence and hardship that few fans ever witnessed. One such incident has now surfaced in the form of words used by his wife Puja in her book The Diary of a Cricketer's Wife. Her vivid and candid description brings to the fore a troubled phase in Pujara's career when one person from the Indian cricket team itself was apparently keen on having him dropped from the team.

In 2018 during India's tour of Australia, Pujara was not playing at his best. He had managed to score just 28 runs in the Perth Test and was suffering from a minor hamstring injury. At the same time his father was hospitalized back home which made the time even more tense for him. At this difficult time Pujara was resting in his hotel room and avoiding the public eye. Even when attending to his injury and reverently concentrating on healing he overhears a phone call that strikes him deeply. The call regarding cutting him off from the team because of concerns over fitness affected him deeply. He did not inform anyone he overheard because he decided to keep quiet concerning the matter about it to others at the moment not even speaking to his wife.

This shocking moment was locked inside him until much later. It was only after the tour had ended and during a quiet afternoon on his birthday that Puja came to know what had happened. As she was reading social media messages and birthday wishes aloud to him one message stood out as very emotional and full of praise. She read it out considering it was sweet and touching. But rather than smile or respond positively Pujara said nothing and looked at her with a strange face. That was when Puja realized something was amiss.

When she asked him what was troubling him he sidestepped the issue initially. Puja understood this was typical of him as he was hardly ever forthcoming about the politics or stress that was brewing behind the scenes. In their wedlock she used to hear about match tittle-tattle or team matters from other wives of cricketers and not from him. Pujara never used to tell her long and elaborate cricket stories. He would always speak the same words about practice team meetings and going back to his room. His reticence regarding personal struggles was his coping with pressure and maintaining his peace.

But this time Puja forced him to speak. After some time Pujara ultimately revealed the painful reality. The individual being acclaimed on social media at that time was the very same person who had wished to get him out of the team during the tour of Australia. The reason they provided was his form and injury. Pujara said very calmly that he didn't wish to respond to it at the time because not every moment calls for a reaction. He decided to remain concentrated on his performance and had faith in performing his best instead of complaining.

This calmness and strength along with the power to bear criticism with poise is what differentiates Pujara from other cricketers. Pujara's wife's book offers the rare insight into the emotional life of a cricketer that goes on behind closed doors. It indicates that even as calm and cool as Pujara is, he also encountered doubt and backstabbing by his own teammates. But he never allowed that to reflect in his game and he just went on about his business without exposing it to the world.

Puja's book brings to the fore the human aspect of a player who has always let his bat do the talking. It reminds us that behind every cricketer's success are individual sacrifices moments of heartbreak and quiet struggles that the fans never get to see. Pujara's is not a story of runs and records alone but of inner strength patience and dignity. This revelation makes people look at him with even more respect because he stayed true to his values even when it was not easy.

Although Pujara has not played for India since 2023 he is still remembered as a player who sacrificed everything for the team. His tale told by his wife reminds us that not every hero requires loud words or recognition. Sometimes the strongest individuals are those who suffer in silence fight in silence and move ahead with dignity.