Sussex re-signs India batter Cheteshwar Pujara for 2023 season

SUSSEX: India's test batter Cheteshwar Pujara extended his contract with England's county club Sussex for the 2023 season. Sussex announced the news on its website on Monday.

After joining Sussex last year Pujara made an enormous impact on the south coast side, scoring over 1000 County Championship runs, including a record-breaking three double centuries and finishing the season with an average of 109.4.

His outstanding form continued into the 50-over Royal London Cup where he captained the side in the absence of the injured Tom Haines, leading the team to the semi-finals of the competition.

In his nine RL50 appearances Pujara averaged 89.14 at a strike-right of 111.62, with his highest score of 174 coming against Surrey in just 131 deliveries.

That knock was the highest of any Sussex batter in List-A cricket at the time, a record that was remarkably bettered by Ali Orr (206) just five days later.

Speaking on returning to Sussex, Pujara said, "I am glad to be back with Sussex for the 2023 season. I thoroughly enjoyed my last stint with the club last season, both on and off the field and I'm looking forward to contributing to the team's growth and success in the coming year."

Sussex Performance Director, Keith Greenfield, added, "It is fantastic news that Cheteshwar will be returning in 2023, we all saw the class he showed with the bat and his performances, but he was also outstanding in our young dressing room as a world-class role model for them to follow."

The Indian batter last played a test for India against England at Birmingham where he cored 13 and 66 runs in the first and second innings respectively.