Cheteshwar Pujara scored a double-century for Sussex against Middlesex at Lord’s, emulating the feat of one of the most incredible Indian batters of all time.
Cheteshwar Pujara scored a century and a half for Sussex against Middlesex at Lord’s on Wednesday, following in the footsteps of one of the most celebrated Indian batters in history. India opener Pujara’s countrymen Colonel H. H. Shri Sir Ranjitsinhji Vibhaji II was the last Sussex batsman to score a century at Lord’s. In a match against the MCC 125 years ago, KS Ranjitsinji, or ‘Ranji,’ scored his double hundred.
His 231 was Pujara’s third double-century of the year.
The 34-year-old Pujara occupied the crease for nearly nine hours before he was finally dismissed, leading the visitors to a total of 523, which beat Sussex’s previous Lord’s mark of 522 established in 2005.
From 1907 to 1933, Ranji ruled the Indian princely state of Nawanagar, and he is primarily considered one of cricket’s most elegant batsmen.
Ranji was educated at Cambridge University and played 15 Tests for England between 1896 and 1902, just one year before he died at 60.
Ranjitsinhji is the name of India’s premier First Class tournament, the Ranji Trophy.
