Cheteshwar Pujara sets bizarre batting record in First-Class cricket

Pujara became the first player in the first-class history to bat more than 70 minutes without scoring at the start of an innings on two different occasions

Cheteshwar Pujara is known to be a Test cricket specialist. However, his recent County stint has been disappointing the cricket fans.

The 30-year-old Indian batsman recently garnered a huge response on social media after a video went viral where he was seen losing his wicket to Dale Steyn on a duck during the One-Day Cup. Two days later, both the cricketers faced off in a County match and the same thing happened yet again.

Here are the videos:

Dale Steyn is bowling scorchers

Cheteshwar Pujara goes for 0 having flown back in specifically for the match

Live https://t.co/uYRriTqoHB pic.twitter.com/8GyNfftvsD

— One-Day Cup (@OneDayCup) June 18, 2018

 

Dale Steyn v Cheteshwar Pujara - Round 2

Another beautiful piece of bowling from a player who seems as fired up as ever!pic.twitter.com/5xmoPxn0y5

— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) June 20, 2018

 

After these bizarre performances, once again Pujara has grabbed the limelight by a setting a weird batting record in English County cricket.

While batting against Surrey, Pujara spent almost 70 to 73 minutes to get off the mark. Facing the bowlers like Rikki Clarke, Morne Morkel, and Jade Dernbach, he played 41 consecutive dot balls to score the first run.

Earlier this year, he Pujara took 54 balls in about 79 minutes to get off the mark against South Africa in Johannesburg Test. Thus, he became the first player in the first-class history to bat more than 70 minutes without scoring at the start of an innings on two different occasions.

Here’s the list of players who have taken the longest time to get off the mark -

In a first-class innings

Player	Team	Opposition	Minutes
Sunil Joshi	Baroda	Bengal	120
Rajesh Chauhan	India	Sri Lanka	84
Yuzvendra Chahal	Haryana	Vidarbha	79
Cheteshwar Pujara	India	South Africa	79
Cheteshwar Pujara	Yorkshire	Surrey	70-73

In County Innings

Player	Team	Opposition	Minutes	Year
Jack Simmons	Lancashire	Yorkshire	74	1969
Peter Stimpson	Worcestershire	Leicestershire	73	1971
Frank Vigar	Essex	Hampshire	72	1946
Mike Watkinson	Lancashire	Nottinghamshire	71	1983
Cheteshwar Pujara	Yorkshire	Surrey	70-73	2018
R Barlow	Lancashire	Nottinghamshire	70	1882
W Humphreys	Sussex	Kent	70	1892

Pujara came in to bat at No. 3 after Yorkshire opener Alex Lees went for a duck. He went on to face 111 balls and managed to score just 23 runs before he lost his wicket.