Pujara, Not Kohli or Dhoni, Was My Toughest Challenge: Pat Cummins

Australian captain Pat Cummins has singled out Cheteshwar Pujara as the most resilient Indian batter he has ever bowled to, highlighting the orthodox top-order anchor ahead of global superstars like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, or MS Dhoni.

Cummins, who has led Australia's pace attack through some of the most grueling red-ball battles of the modern era, emphasized how Pujara's defense became the defining obstacle during India’s back-to-back historic Test series triumphs down under.

While modern heavyweights often look to dominate the bowling with aggressive strokeplay, Pujara’s old-school approach of wearing down the opposition bowler by bowler left a lasting impression on the Australian skipper.

Over the course of 25 Test matches against Australia, the defensive stalwart amassed 2,074 runs at an impressive average of 49.38, serving as the immovable object that the home side's world-class pace trio struggled to dislodge.

Reflecting on his career challenges, Cummins noted that Pujara’s sheer patience and refusal to commit errors forced the Australian attack to bowl endless spells with relentless discipline.

The Aussie speedster also acknowledged other global icons who tested his skills, mentioning the explosive Brendon McCullum, England’s Alastair Cook, South African maestro AB de Villiers, and Pakistan spinner Saeed Ajmal among his most formidable opponents.

Yet, it is the memory of Pujara relentlessly taking blows on his body and protecting his wicket that remains etched deepest in Cummins' mind as the ultimate test of endurance.

With another high-stakes Border-Gavaskar Trophy on the horizon, Cummins' reflections serve as a reminder of the unique, attritional warfare that defined India's previous successful campaigns in Australia.