Veteran all-rounder Jalaj Saxena has opted out of the upcoming Ranji Trophy season, citing personal reasons.
One of the best all-rounders in the history of red-ball cricket, Saxena has informed the Kerala Cricket Association of his unavailability. KCA Secretary Vinod S Kumar confirmed that Saxena will not be available for the Ranji Trophy in the forthcoming season, as he wishes to be “close to his aged parents”.
“Jalaj said he wanted to take a break from cricket and wouldn’t be available for the Ranji Trophy this season. He told us that he didn’t want to travel and wanted to be close to his aged parents,” said Vinod S Kumar, the KCA Secretary.
With many players switching teams ahead of the start of the domestic season, the KCA Secretary is unsure whether Saxena is also planning to do the same.
“We don’t know if he has any plans to join other teams, as he has not approached us for an NOC so far,” Vinod said.
Saxena, who is currently playing for Alleppey Ripples in the ongoing Kerala Cricket League, made his debut for Madhya Pradesh in the 2005–06 season and remained with the team for a decade, until 2015–16. Since then, he has been one of the mainstays of Kerala cricket.
For Kerala, he has scored 2,215 runs, including three centuries and ten fifties. With his off-spin, he has taken 269 wickets, including 21 five-wicket hauls, in 59 matches. The 38-year-old played an important role in Kerala reaching the Ranji Trophy final for the first time last season.
Meanwhile, Saxena’s Kerala teammate Aditya Sarwate has obtained an NOC from the KCA to represent Chhattisgarh in the upcoming domestic season.
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