India’s seasoned Test batsman Cheteshwar Pujara has experienced a rare failure with the willow in recent times. Playing his first competitive innings after the memorable tour of Australia, the Saurashtra batsman was dismissed for just 11 in his side's Ranji Trophy quarter-final against Uttar Pradesh in Lucknow on Wednesday.

Pujara played an instrumental role in India’s first-ever Test series victory on Australian soil by scoring 521 runs at an average of 74.72. He notched up hundreds in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney to script India’s twin victories in the series. While India’s eminent No.3 scored 123 in the Test series opener, he struck 106 and 193 in the third and fourth Test respectively.

Pujara, who faced a record 1258 deliveries in the four-match Test series down under, could survive only 28 balls as India's U-19 World Cup star from 2018, Shivam Mavi, sent him packing. Following Pujara's early dismissal, the Jaydev Unadkat-led Saurashtra side lost the plot and were tottering at 163/7 after 52 overs. While Mavi picked up three scalps for Uttar Pradesh, Ankit Rajpoot and Yash Dayal took two wickets apiece.

Earlier, Uttar Pradesh rode on Rinku Singh’s 150 to post 385 on the board in their first innings. Pujara certainly holds the key to Saurashtra's chances of making a comeback in the quarter-final tie.