Ravindra Jadeja will play in the forthcoming Ranji Trophy match against Tamil Nadu in order to build match fitness ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023, which begins on February 9. On Friday, the great all-rounder was chosen to India’s 17-man team for the first two Tests against Australia (January 13). However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has said that his selection is conditional on his fitness.
In September, the 34-year-old spin all-rounder damaged his knee during an adventure sports training session at the 2022 Asia Cup. He missed the T20 World Cup and his comeback was delayed owing to his recuperation difficulties. He is, however, nearing the end of his rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore and is allegedly bowling and batting again.
According to ESPNcricinfo, Jadeja will play in Saurashtra’s last round of the Ranji Trophy against Tamil Nadu on January 24 in Chennai. With Jadeja’s comeback to international cricket, the BCCI and Indian management are treading carefully and are unlikely to hurry the player back into action.
The BCCI, on the other hand, is hoping for favourable news on Jadeja’s health since they don’t want to be without a match-winning player against the great Australian squad. The Indian squad is in contention to reach the World Test Championship final, and the following Test series against Australia will be their greatest challenge.
Due to a terrible injury, he sustained in December, the Indian squad is already without Rishabh Pant, their top-scorer in Tests in 2022. In Pant’s absence, India will need a left-handed batter in the middle order. Notably, Jadeja is the current No. 1 Test all-rounder, and his performances against Australia have always been outstanding, both with the bat and with the ball.
When Australia visited India for a four-match Test series in 2017, he was named Player of the Series. He was the series’ best wicket-taker with 25 wickets and also scored a match-winning 63-run knock in the fourth match at Dharamsala.
