Cheteshwar Pujara retires hurt with stiff neck

Rajkot: Indian batsman Cheteshwar Pujara, on Thursday, was retired hurt midway through his innings with a stiff neck on the first day of the Saurashtra's Ranji Trophy opener against Chhattisgarh.Pujara was batting on 30 when he decided to leave the field after consultation with the team physio. He scored 30 runs off 64 balls.

Saurashtra's coach Shitanshu Kotak confirmed Pujara would bat on Friday if needed.Pujara will also be keen to do well in Australia after flopping on the last tour in 2014.  He played three matches and managed just 201 runs including only one fifty.

India will play three T20Is, four Tests and three ODIs in Australia. The series will start off with the shortest format, with the first T20I to be played at The Gabba on November 21, 2018.(UNI)