Saralnama
Senior batter Cheteshwar Pujara has confirmed his intention to participate in the upcoming Ranji Trophy season starting in October 2025, marking his return to competitive cricket since February 2025. The Saurashtra Cricket Association welcomed his decision, highlighting the value of his experience. This announcement came shortly after Ajinkya Rahane stepped down as Mumbai’s captain but confirmed his commitment to playing the domestic season. Both Pujara and Rahane have been out of the Indian Test team since mid-2023, with team management focusing on younger players. Pujara last played for India in June 2023 and has expressed his ongoing desire to represent the national side again. He did not play in the County Championship this year, opting instead for commentary during India’s England tour. In the previous Ranji season, Pujara scored 402 runs in seven matches, and he has a total of 7,195 runs in 103 Test matches for India. (Updated 21 Aug 2025, 18:34 IST; source: link)