Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood has expressed relief at not having to bowl to Cheteshwar Pujara during the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. Pujara, known for his grit and ability to bat for long periods, has been a thorn in Australia's side in past series. However, the veteran batter was not selected for India's 18-member squad, marking the first time since 2014 that Pujara will not feature in the high-stakes Test series.

Pujara's absence is part of India’s strategy to focus on youth, with emerging talents like Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel, and Devdutt Padikkal expected to step up in the 5-match series. The first Test begins on November 22 at Perth's Optus Stadium. Adding to India’s challenges, Shubman Gill, who was likely to take Pujara’s spot at No. 3, has been ruled out of the first Test due to a fractured thumb.

In the 2018-19 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Pujara was India's standout performer, amassing 521 runs at an average of 74.42, including three centuries. His contribution played a pivotal role in India's historic 2-1 series victory in Australia.

Speaking about Pujara, Hazlewood highlighted the batter's unique ability to frustrate bowlers by occupying the crease for extended periods. “I’m happy that Cheteshwar Pujara isn’t around this time. He’s someone who spends a lot of time at the crease and tires the bowlers,” Hazlewood said.

While Hazlewood acknowledged the significance of Virat Kohli’s wicket, he stressed that India has other match-winners who pose equal threats. “Not only Kohli, but our focus is on all the players. He has found a lot of success in the past and of course will be a crucial wicket. But there are other guys also like a Rishabh Pant or a Jasprit Bumrah who can be equally good with their respective skills," he added