DERBY: Pakistan’s wicket-keeper batter Mohammad Rizwan and Indian top-order batter Cheteshwar Pujara on Thursday made their debut for Sussex against hosts Derbyshire in the County Championships Division 2.
While Pujara has played first-class cricket in England in the past, Rizwan is playing his first first-class match in England. Both were named in the Sussex playing eleven which is captained by Tom Daines.
Taking to Twitter, Sussex County Cricket Club shared the picture of Rizwan and Pujara posing together ahead of their match against Derbyshire. “Debut day for these two,” Sussex wrote on Twitter.
Debut day for these two. 🤩 pic.twitter.com/mT6rerYMRu
— Sussex Cricket (@SussexCCC) April 14, 2022
Wisden Cricket, on the other hand, re-shared the picture of the two Southpaws. “A Sussex debut for Cheteshwar Pujara and Mohammad Rizwan, facing off against Shan Masood and Suranga Lakmal’s Derbyshire,” Wisden tweeted.
A Sussex debut for Cheteshwar Pujara and Mohammad Rizwan, facing off against Shan Masood and Suranga Lakmal’s Derbyshire 😍
Division Two of the County Championship has attracted some elite names this year 👏
📸 @SussexCCC#CountyCricket2022 pic.twitter.com/Oebwf8xWUU
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) April 14, 2022
“Division Two of the County Championship has attracted some elite names this year,” the tweet added.
Both the players stand at the opposite end of their international careers. While Pujara will be aiming to score a bagful of runs to make a Test comeback after being dropped following the tour of South Africa, Rizwan has been one of the best wicket-keeper batters in international cricket over the last couple of years.
With Sussex having lost their opening game, head coach Ian Salisbury included both overseas stars for the contest against Derbyshire.
“I am extremely excited to be able to bring in players of Rizwan and Pujara’s quality into the side. Not only are they absolute world-class cricketers that will boost our performances on the pitch, but to have them around the boys and in the dressing room can only be a positive,” said the head coach in a team statement.
