In the Assam match at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot, Ravindra Jadeja was one of four players from the Indian Champions Trophy team to appear in the final round of the Ranji Trophy league stage. However, many were surprised because he batted at number nine and did not bowl at all.
Jadeja got 19 runs with the bat, but his lack of presence with the ball raised questions about whether he would be fit for the England ODI series, which starts on February 6, and the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which starts on February 19.
But according to a Saurashtra teammate, the absence was more of a precaution against any potential injuries before the big event.
He was unharmed. A Saurashtra team member informed The Indian Express, “We had just rested him on the pitch as a precautionary measure because he will be part of India’s Champions Trophy squad.”
His absence had little effect on the outcome, as Saurashtra, captained by Jaydev Unadkat, defeated Assam by 144 runs and an innings to guarantee their spot in the quarterfinals. Starting on February 8, they will play either Gujarat or Himachal Pradesh in Rajkot.