Pujara's deal with Gloucestershire called off due to COVID-19 pandemic - Times of India

(TOI Photo)NEW DELHI: Star India batsman Cheteshwar Pujara 's deal with Gloucestershire for the first six matches of the County Championship has been cancelled due to the rapidly-spreading COVID-19 pandemic. The 32-year-old Indian, who has scored 5840 runs at an average of 48.66 in 77 Tests, was supposed to play six County Championship matches for the club at the start of the county's first season back in Division One. However, Gloucestershire on Thursday said that the deal is off now given the global health crisis, which has forced the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to suspend all professional cricket until May 28. "We will also now miss the opportunity to see Chetshwar Pujara play for the mighty Glos in the 2020 season which we know our supporters were really looking forward to," the club said in a statement. As the Covid-19 pandemic spreads across the world we have to be realistic that this period without cricket may well be extended further into the summer. The county championship Division one was scheduled to start on April 12 before it was postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak. Pujara had earlier played for Derbyshire, Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire in England. Here's what cricketers Salman Khan and Shahrukh Khan are doing during the 21-day lockdown 30 Mar, 2020, 0645 hrs IST 03:21 New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson gives pet dog slip catching practice 28 Mar, 2020, 1605 hrs IST 00:51 Covid-19: Virat Kohli, Anushka Sharma urge their fans to stay at home during 21-day lockdown 25 Mar, 2020, 1904 hrs IST 00:59 Coronavirus: BCCI to assess situation every week, says Sourav Ganguly on IPL 14 Mar, 2020, 2221 hrs IST 01:37 Govt, BCCI monitoring situation, we want IPL to take place: Delhi Capitals’ co-owner 14 Mar, 2020, 2140 hrs IST 01:24 Not money, citizens’ heath comes first: Ness Wadia after BCCI-IPL franchises' meet 14 Mar, 2020, 2138 hrs IST 01:07 COVID-19: India-SA ODI series called off , BCCI to reschedule it later 13 Mar, 2020, 2156 hrs IST 02:47 COVID19: IPL 2020 postponed to April 15 due to coronavirus 13 Mar, 2020, 1614 hrs IST 03:23 Coronavirus outbreak: MEA advises against hosting of IPL, says organisers will take final call 12 Mar, 2020, 1941 hrs IST 01:52 Batting for a cause: Sachin to delight fans in Road Safety World Series 2020 7 Mar, 2020, 1944 hrs IST 01:04 It's for govt to decide, not Shoaib Akhtar: Madan Lal on India-Pakistan series 1 Pujara's deal with Gloucestershire called off due to COVID-19 pandemic 2 Not sure how much further than 2020 I can continue commentary: Michael Holding 3 strengthening global university partnerships in volatile times 4 It's for govt to decide, not Shoaib Akhtar: Madan Lal on India-Pakistan series