NEW DELHI: To prove his fitness for the upcoming Australia series, India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is set to make his comeback to competitive cricket in a Ranji Trophy game for Saurashtra against Tamil Nadu, starting from January 24.
Jadeja has been out of action since September last year, when he withdrew from the Asia Cup to undergo a knee surgery. He is currently doing rehab at the National Cricket Academy (NCA).
The 34-year-old has been picked in a 17-member squad for the first two Tests of the four-match series against Australia slated to begin in Nagpur from February 9. His selection to the national squad is subject to his fitness.
"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 told PTI.
Jadeja has not played any competitive cricket since the T20I against Hong Kong in the Asia Cup on August 31 and his previous first-class match was the rescheduled one-off Test at Edgbaston against England last July.
Jadeja reportedly has started to bowl and bat from earlier this week as he's winding up his rehab at the NCA. The left-handed batter is seen as a vital cog in India's line-up, especially in absence of Rishabh Pant at No. 5 or 6 in the middle-order.
His left-arm spin could also come handy alongwith ace off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin in the four-match series that will determine India's fate to make a successive World Test Championship final appearance.
Jadeja has 82 wickets at 21.46 including three five-fors, while with the bat he has amassed 898 runs (average 52.82) along with two centuries and seven fifties, in 19 Tests since 2017.
(With inputs from PTI)
