Ranji Trophy 2024-25: Jadeja available for Saurashtra vs Assam game; Rohit, Jaiswal, Shreyas to miss next Mumbai match

Ranji Trophy 2024-25: Jadeja available for Saurashtra vs Assam game; Rohit, Jaiswal, Shreyas to miss next Mumbai match

After his match-winning performance against Delhi in the previous fixture, all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is set to be available for Saurashtra’s last Ranji Trophy group league outing against Assam as well.

As the Saurashtra team – led by Jaydev Unadkat – trained at the Niranjan Shah Stadium on Monday, Jadeja, too, had a long session in the nets and was engaged in long conversations with the skipper and Cheteshwar Pujara.

“As of now, he is absolutely fit and there is no doubt that he will play in the next game,” Saurashtra coach Neeraj Odedara told  Sportstar.

While Assam is already out of contention for a spot in the knockouts, it’s a must-win game for Saurashtra, which is now placed third in Elite Group D with 18 points. If Chandigarh, which is currently placed second with 19 points, wins its final match against Chhattisgarh with a bonus point, Saurashtra and Railways will be eliminated. However, if Chandigarh wins and secures six points, and Saurashtra defeats Assam with a bonus point, the team with the better quotient will advance.

“He (Jadeja) has been training with the team for a while and he had a fantastic outing in the last game and his presence will bolster the team in the next match as well,” Odedra said.

For Assam, the fixture will see the return of Riyan Parag to competitive cricket as he was out with a shoulder injury. His last appearance was during the T20I series vs Bangladesh in October last year.

Meanwhile, on the expected lines, Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shreyas Iyer won’t be available for Mumbai’s must-win fixture against Meghalaya.

All three are part of India’s ODI squad for the series against England and they will report to Nagpur on February 2 for a short training camp before the first ODI begins on February 6.

Shivam Dube is currently with India’s T20I side. Mumbai’s chief selector Sanjay Patil had earlier told  Sportstar that Rohit and Jaiswal were available for just one game – against J&K – following the BCCI directive, asking the international players to make themselves available for domestic cricket. Even Mumbai captain Ajinkya Rahane indicated after the game against J&K that the seasoned campaigners may not be available for the final group leg game.

Youngster Ayush Mhatre, who had to sit out in the previous game, is set to return to the side, along with Angkrish Raghuvanshi. The 17-year-old Mhatre has had a sensational start to his domestic career, scoring two first-class centuries in just six matches. He further impressed with two hundreds in seven games for Mumbai in his maiden List A season.

Jaiswal, meanwhile, has been training with Zubin Bharucha in Mumbai ahead of the England series and the Champions Trophy, scheduled to begin on February 19.