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Kerala's Jalaj Saxena achieves rare first class record, joins Kapil Dev and Ravi Shastri in elite list
Saxena became the first uncapped player to score over 6,000 runs beside scalping 300 wickets in first-class cricket.
Domestic veteran Jalaj Saxena on Wednesday achieved a rare feat in first-class cricket by becoming the first uncapped player to score over 6,000 runs beside scalping 300 wickets in first-class cricket.
The 32-year-old right-hand batsman and off break bowler achieved the feat during the Duleep Trophy match played between India Red and India Blue on Monday. He has picked up 3/57 for India Blue against India Red in Duleep Trophy match which ended without a result.
"I knew I completed 300 wickets but I did not know that I am the only uncapped player among the legends. I feel honored to learn that I am in the same list with Polly Umrigar, Lala Amarnath, Kapil Dev etc," he was quoted as saying by the Sportstar.
Apart from domestic experience, Jalaj has also been part of Indian Premier League. He was bought by Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League this year for Rs 20 lakh in this year's auction. He has also been part of two other IPL franchises Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore. The cricketer also holds the record of being the only Indian to hit a century and take an eight-wicket innings-haul in the same match twice.
The cricketer currently representing Kerala Ranji team still hopes to get a call up to the Indian side. While speaking to Mail Today in March 2019 he said "I still have a dream to play for India. Age is just a number and fitness is an important aspect of my life. Yoga has helped me a lot, my father is a trainer as well. Professionally, it has helped my keep calm during tough times while helping me improve concentration and flexibility,".
Jalaj, who has been awarded the prestigious Lala Amarnath award for the best all-rounder of Ranji Trophy for the last 4 seasons, has became 19th Indian to achieve the feat. The other cricketers to achieve the feat are CK Nayudu, Lala Amarnath, Vijay Hazare, Vinu Mankad, C Sarwate, Polly Umrigar, Babu Nadkarni, Chandu Borde, ML Jaisimha, Saleem Durani, S Venkataraghavan, Syed Abid Ali, Madan Lal, Kapil Dev, Ravi Shastri, Manoj Prabhakar, Sairaj Bahutule and Sanjay Bangar.
