Team India’s ace all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja made a stunning return to domestic cricket while playing for Saurashtra in the ongoing Ranji Trophy. The 36-year-old all-rounder played a crucial role in Saurashtra’s dominant victory over Delhi, unlike other international players who have faced challenges.
Ravindra Jadeja starred with the ball on Day 1 (Thursday, January 23) of the match against Delhi at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot. The left-arm spinner recorded bowling figures of 17.4-2-66-5. He dismissed Sanat Sangwan, Yash Dhull, Ayush Badoni, Harsh Tyagi, and Navdeep Saini in the first innings.
Ravindra Jadeja Named Player of the Match for Exceptional Bowling
The veteran cricketer helped Saurashtra bowl Delhi out for 188. During the spell, he also completed 200 wickets in the Ranji Trophy for Saurashtra. With the bat, Jadeja added 38 runs off 36 balls before being dismissed by Shivam Sharma. Saurashtra finished the first innings with 271 runs, taking a lead of 83 runs.
The left-arm finger spinner ran through Delhi’s batting order in the second innings of the recently concluded match. He took seven wickets for just 38 runs as Delhi was bowled out for 94. His victims included Ayush Badoni and Rishabh Pant. The all-rounder ended the match with 12 wickets for 104 runs.
For his outstanding efforts, Jadeja was named Player of the Match. With only 12 runs to chase in the second innings, Saurashtra’s openers, Harvik Desai and Arpit Vasavada, quickly completed the target in 3.1 overs, securing a bonus-point win. Jadeja’s performance helped Saurashtra win the match by 10 wickets.
Rishabh Pant Struggled in Both Innings of the Match
On the other hand, Rishabh Pant struggled in both innings of the match, scoring just 1 in the first innings and 17 in the second. He was dismissed by his India teammate Ravindra Jadeja. Delhi’s captain Ayush Badoni was the standout performer, scoring 60 in the first innings and 44 in the second.
Virat Kohli, who was initially expected to play the game, withdrew due to injury but is likely to feature in Delhi’s final match against Railways on January 30. Delhi is in third place in the Group D table with 14 points after 6 matches. They won just one game, drew three matches, and lost two in the season.
Ravindra Jadeja Set to Return to Action in ODI Series Against England
Ravindra Jadeja made his first Ranji Trophy appearance since 2023, following new directives from the BCCI regarding player availability for state teams when not on national duty. This move from the board came after Team India’s 1-3 loss to Australia in the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25.
Jadeja was also part of the Indian squad during the recent Test series in Australia. He will be next seen in action during the upcoming three-match ODI series against England at home. The spinner will play for India in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025, set to be played in Pakistan and Dubai.
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