Following the conclusion of India’s ODI series against New Zealand in Indore, Ravindra Jadeja is set to return to domestic duties for Saurashtra.
Ravindra Jadeja, Shubman Gill expected to play next round of Ranji Trophy
As per a Cricbuzz report, Jadeja is expected to feature in the upcoming Ranji Trophy clash against Punjab, which begins on January 22 in Rajkot. There are also strong indications that Indian captain Shubman Gill will participate in the same match, with both players likely to travel from Indore to Rajkot once formal confirmation is provided.
ALSO READ: Shubman Gill left disappointed after India lost ODI series to NZ, says 'the way we played was...'
ALSO READ: Atharva Taide's ton guides Vidarbha to maiden VHT title after crushing Saurashtra by 38 runs
The addition of these international stars comes at a crucial time for their respective state teams. Currently, Saurashtra sits fourth in Elite Group B with only one win from five games, trailing behind leaders like Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh. Punjab finds themselves in an even more precarious position, sitting in sixth place with one win and one defeat. Both teams are desperate for a surge in points as the tournament nears the end of the league stage.
While Jadeja has already made one appearance for Saurashtra this season against Madhya Pradesh, this would mark Gill's first Ranji Trophy outing of the current campaign. His last appearance for Punjab was against Karnataka during the previous season. Since there are no immediate international fixtures on the horizon, it remains to be seen if both players will commit to their teams' final league games following this marquee matchup in Rajkot.
Gill-Jadeja's not-so-good outing vs New Zealand
Talking about Jadeja and Gill's performance in the just-concluded ODI series against New Zealand, which India lost by 2-1, both the players had underwhelming outing. Jadeja remained wicketless throughout the series and could only score 43 runs. Meanwhile, Gill scored a total of 135 runs across three innings.