Indian Test great Cheteshwar Pujara recently announced his retirement from international cricket, leaving fans emotional about the end of an era. Known for his unflinching resilience and marathon stays at the crease, Pujara was often the biggest hurdle for opposition bowlers particularly the Australians. One such bowler who struggled most against him was Josh Hazlewood, but a viral post on social media has now created quite a stir.
The Viral Post on X
Soon after Pujara’s retirement, a post from an account named @Joshazlewood38 went viral on X (formerly Twitter). It read:
You were my biggest headache on the field, now i can bowl freely, without getting tired whole day. You had a good run, enjoy your retirement! Best wishes for your upcoming journey. pic.twitter.com/IS1LAGpmJm
— Josh Hazlewood (@Joshazlewood38) August 24, 2025
“You were my biggest headache on the field, now I can bowl freely, without getting tired whole day.You had a good run, enjoy your retirement! Best wishes for your upcoming journey.”
The post quickly gathered over 500k views, 26k likes, 85 comments and 1.3k reposts, as fans believed Hazlewood himself had penned this farewell.
Fake Account Exposed
However, the truth soon emerged. The account clearly mentions in its bio: “Professional cricketer, Australia, Sydney Sixers, RCB. Parody Account.”
Moreover, Hazlewood’s manager Neil Maxwell has previously confirmed that the Australian pacer does not use any social media platform, including X and Instagram. This proves the viral post was completely fake.
When Hazlewood Actually Spoke About Pujara
Interestingly, while this post was fake, Hazlewood has genuinely spoken about Pujara in the past. Before the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, the pacer admitted he was “happy” that Pujara was not part of the Indian squad.
Hazlewood said:
“I am pretty happy that Puj [Pujara] isn’t here. He is one that bats time and you really earn his wicket. There are always young fresh guys coming into the Indian team, and whoever they pick in that eleven, they are unbelievable players.”
This highlighted the immense respect Hazlewood had for Pujara’s ability to grind down bowlers and wear them out with his long stays at the crease.
Pujara vs Australia – The Battle That Defined Him
Pujara has always been at his best against Australia. In 25 Tests against them, he scored 2,074 runs at an impressive average of 49.38, with 11 half-centuries and five centuries. His strike rate of 42.30 further reflects his old-school, stubborn batting style that frustrated bowlers.
From Adelaide to Brisbane, Pujara absorbed countless blows on his body but never backed down cementing his reputation as India’s “Wall 2.0” after Rahul Dravid.
While the viral Hazlewood post was proven fake, it underlined just how big an impact Cheteshwar Pujara had on world cricket. For Australian bowlers like Hazlewood, facing him was always a nightmare. And even though the social media tribute was fabricated, the respect Pujara earned from his fiercest rivals will always remain real.