Ravindra Jadeja is on the cusp of making his comeback. He will be playing a Ranji Trophy game against Tamil Nadu on January 24 to prove his fitness ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test series against Australia next month.
Premier India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, who pulled out from the Asia Cup 2022 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) last September to undergo right knee surgery, will be making a comeback in Saurashtra's final round of Ranji Trophy match versus Tamil Nadu in Chennai, starting January 24. The 34-year-old, currently rehabbing at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru, has been chosen in the 17-member crew for the opening couple of Tests in the highly-anticipated four-Test series versus Australia, scheduled to start in Nagpur from February 9. However, his availability is subject to fitness, as a call on Jadeja is likely to be taken during the four-day game.
"It will be good if he plays for Saurashtra. Probably he will, but I don't have any further details," Saurashtra Cricket Association president Jaydev Shah briefed PTI. Jadeja has not featured in any competitive cricket since the Twenty20 International (T20I) versus Hong Kong in the Asia Cup on August 31. His prior First-Class (FC) game was the rescheduled one-off Test at Edgbaston in Birmingham versus England last July.
Jadeja has reportedly begun bowling and batting earlier this week, winding up his rehab at the NCA. The southpaw is considered a vital cog in India's line-up, especially in the absence of young wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant at number five or six in the middle order. His left-arm spin could also come in handy along with ace veteran all-rounder-cum-off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin in the four-Test series that will decide India's luck to make a straight ICC World Test Championship 2021-23 final appearance.
In its 2016-17 series versus Australia, Jadeja played a pivotal role in being adjudged the Man-of-the-Series, with 25 scalps and 127 runs, as India came from behind, sealing an extraordinary 2-1 success. Jadeja has 82 wickets at an average of 21.46, including three fifers, while with the bat, he has surpassed 898 runs (average 52.82), along with a couple of tons and seven half-centuries, in 19 Tests since 2017.
(With inputs from PTI)