On August 24, Cheteshwar Pujara called time on his cricketing career. He had not played for India since 2023 and decided that at 37, it was the best time to end things. Pujara filled the void left by Dravid in 2012 after having made his Test debut in 2010. For over a decade, he was the cog that held the Indian batting together. His dogged resistance allowed the others to for their shots.

Now that Pujara is a former player, he is eligible to receive the pension from the BCCI. Yes, you read that right. Former cricketers are paid a pension amount on a monthly basis after their playing days are over. The amount was increased not long back to Pujara reaps the benefits of that as well. He does deserve every penny.

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So how much will Pujara get as a monthly pension from the BCCI? The amount is a staggering Rs. 70,000. That means annually he shall receive Rs. 840,000. That’s Rs. 8.4 lakh coming into the pocket in a year. Not a small amount by any stretch of the imagination.

Pujara never played T20Is and just five ODIs scoring a mere 51 runs from 2013 to 2014. It was in Tests that he really put his best foot forward. The man played 103 Tests, scored 7195 runs and hit 19 100s along with 35 50s. His top score was 206 not out. He hit three 200s. The man batted 176 times and was not out on 11 occasions and as a result had an average of 43.61.

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On his Test debut vs Australia in 2010 in Bengaluru, Pujara made just four in his first innings. But his 72 in the second innings helped India win the game by seven wickets and clinch the series 2-0. It was a brilliant start to a career that would blossom big time.

The legacy left by Pujara is a benchmark for future generations of Indian cricketers. Old school Test cricket was his style of play and it helped India win two consecutive Test series in Australia. He was a man who could keep the best bowlers at bay and stood like a rock between India and defeat. Bowlers around the world shall be heaving a sigh of relief that his playing days have come to and end.