New Delhi

Ahead of his 100th Test match, Indian middle-order batter Cheteshwar Pujara met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence.

The meeting between the PM and the Indian batting veteran happened on Wednesday.

Following the meeting, Pujara shared the news of meeting with his fans on Twitter and expressed delight at receiving encouragement from the PM ahead of his 100th Test.

It was an honour to meet our Hon. Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji. I will cherish the interaction and encouragement ahead of my 100th Test. Thank you @PMOIndia pic.twitter.com/x3h7dq07E9

— Cheteshwar Pujara (@cheteshwar1) February 14, 2023

When Pujara takes to the field against Australia in the second Test at Delhi from February 17 onwards, he will become only the 12th player to reach the landmark of 100 Test matches for India.

The most number of Test matches in cricket is played by legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, who is the only cricketer to have played 200 matches in the longer format.

Pujara has played 99 Tests so far. He has scored 7,021 runs at an average of 44.15 in his 13-year-long Test career, having made his debut in 2010. He has a total of 19 centuries and 34 fifties in the format, with the best score of 206 not out.

In five matches last year, he scored 409 runs at an average of 45.44. One century and three fifties came out of his bat last year, with the best score of 102 not out.

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This year, he has played just one match in which he scored seven runs in one inning.