Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Oct 23: India’s premier all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is likely to return to domestic action for Saurashtra in their upcoming Ranji Trophy clash against Madhya Pradesh, beginning Saturday at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot, according to a Cricbuzz report.
The 36-year-old, who was not included in India’s ODI squad currently touring Australia, has made himself available for first-class cricket to stay in rhythm ahead of India’s Test series against South Africa next month.
Jadeja, ranked among the world’s top Test all-rounders, last featured in the Ranji Trophy during the previous season, turning out against Assam and Delhi. His standout performance came in the Delhi match, where he scored 38 runs and claimed figures of 5/66 and 7/38, earning the Player of the Match award.
In his illustrious domestic career, Jadeja has represented Saurashtra in 47 Ranji Trophy matches, amassing 3,456 runs at an average of 57.60 and picking up 208 wickets at 21.25 — underlining his status as one of India’s most consistent performers in red-ball cricket.
Saurashtra, led by Jaydev Unadkat, started their 2025–26 Ranji season with a narrow first-innings win over Karnataka, thanks to a stellar performance from Dharmendra Jadeja, who claimed a 10-wicket match haul.
Speaking recently about his omission from the ODI side, Jadeja expressed understanding and optimism:
“It’s good that they communicated the reason behind my exclusion. I’m happy about that. Whenever I get a chance next, I’ll try to perform the way I always have. Winning a World Cup is everyone’s dream — we narrowly missed out last time, but next time we’ll try to make up for it.”
Jadeja’s most recent international appearance came in India’s 2–0 Test series win over the West Indies earlier this month. He scored an unbeaten 104 in the opening Test at Ahmedabad and took eight wickets across the two matches.
With the South Africa Tests approaching, Jadeja’s participation in the Ranji Trophy is expected to help him fine-tune his form and fitness — a promising sign for India’s red-ball ambitions this winter.