'Useless of playing Ranji now...': Harbhajan Singh slams India selectors for ignoring veteran cricketer with 6000 runs and 400 wickets

Harbhajan Singh lashed out at Indian selectors for ignoring Jalaj Saxena, who recently impressed with his performance in ongoing Ranji Trophy season.

Sports Tak

• Fri • 08 Nov 2024

Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh

Highlights:

Harbhajan Singh slammed Indian selectors for ignoring Jalaj Saxena.

Jalaj Saxena has over 6000 runs and more than 400 wickets in first-class cricket

Harbhajan Singh criticised the India selectors, questioning whether the Ranji Trophy has become irrelevant. He pointed out that Jalaj Saxena, despite having played for 19 years in the domestic tournament, has failed to break into the Indian team. Saxena's exclusion is even more surprising given his remarkable domestic record. Harbhajan also noted that the veteran all-rounder was not even selected for the India A team, which is currently struggling against Australia A in Melbourne.

Harbhajan Singh lashes out at Indian selectors for not paying heed to Jalaj Saxena

The former cricketer's comments were triggered by a tweet from journalist Vijay Lokapally. Lokapally highlighted Saxena's unique achievement of being the only player in Ranji Trophy history to have accumulated over 400 wickets and 6,000 runs, a rare feat that underscores his consistency and skill over the decades.

Jalaj Saxena, a 37-year-old seasoned cricketer, has consistently impressed in domestic cricket. He is currently representing Kerala and recently showcased his talent by scoring a commendable 84 runs against Bengal.

"400 wickets and 6000 runs for @jalajsaxena33 in the Ranji Trophy. The first man to achieve the feat in India's national tournament," the journalist wrote on X.

In his tweet, the journalist expressed his surprise at Abhishek Saxena's continued absence from the Indian cricket team. He highlighted Saxena's exceptional performance in domestic cricket, particularly his recent 84-run knock for Kerala. He also questioned what more Saxena needs to achieve to earn a spot in the national side, given his consistent and impressive performances.

The tweet drew Harbhajan's attention to which the former India spinner went on to slam Indian selectors by saying Ranji is useless now.

“Agree with you. He should be considered at least for India A. Useless of playing Ranji now? People are getting picked from IPL," Harbhajan replied.

Jalaj Saxena embarked on his first-class cricket journey in 2005, representing Madhya Pradesh in a Ranji Trophy match against Kerala. While his debut performance wasn't noteworthy, he has since established himself as a prolific all-rounder. With 6795 runs from 143 first-class matches, including 14 centuries, Saxena has consistently delivered with the bat. His bowling prowess is equally impressive, having claimed 452 wickets at an exceptional economy rate of 2.74. Saxena's Indian Premier League (IPL) experience includes a brief stint with the Punjab Kings and three matches for the Mumbai Indians in the Champions League.