Cheteshwar Pujara ahead of his 100th Test: 'My dream is to win a WTC final for India'

Cheteshwar Pujara will join an elite list of India cricketers when he takes the field for the second Test against Australia in Delhi on February 17. Pujara, who has featured in 99 Tests for India so far, is set to play his 100th Test match. In 99 Tests, Pujara has amassed 7021 runs at an average of 44.15, including 19 centuries and 34 half-centuries.The 35-year-old will become the 13th Indian cricketer to join the illustrious club of hundred Test matches.Sachin Tendulkar (200), Rahul Dravid (163), VVS Laxman (134), Anil Kumble (132), Kapil Dev (131), Sunil Gavaskar (125), Dilip Vengsarkar (116), Sourav Ganguly (113), Virat Kohli (105), Ishant Sharma (105), Harbhajan Singh (103) and Virender Sehwag (103) are the 12 India cricketers who have played 100 or more Tests in their career."There is a lot more to achieve. I am definitely satisfied and really excited to play this hundredth Test match. But at the same time, we are playing an important series. So, hopefully, we win this Test match and move on to win another Test match which will ensure we will qualify for the WTC final. My dream is to win a WTC final for the Indian team, which didn't happen in the last final. But hopefully, once we qualify, we move towards that," said a determined Pujara in the pre-match press conference on Thursday.

Since his Test debut in October 2010, which ironically came in the second Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test against Australia at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, Pujara has emerged to be a mainstay in India's batting order in the longest format of the game."When I started playing cricket and then made my (Test) debut, I never thought about playing hundred Test matches. For me, it is always about being in the present and not thinking