Saurashtra is getting ready to play their second consecutive final in the Ranji Trophy. Though the all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja will not be available for this match, the Test specialist Cheteshwar Pujara will serve for his domestic side in this crucial match.
In the 2019/20 Ranji Trophy final, the last year’s runners-up Saurashtra will face Bengal at Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium (Rajkot). The final match will begin on 9th March 2020.
Recently, the Saurashtra Cricket Association (SCA) President Jaydev Shah requested to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President Sourav Ganguly to allow Ravindra Jadeja for the upcoming Ranji Trophy final. But while the Indian team will start their three-match home ODI series against South Africa from 12th March, the BCCI President denied that request. Ganguly clarified that the country comes first for a player.
However, there will be no problem for Cheteshwar Pujara as he only plays in Test cricket for India. So, while the wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha is returning to the Bengal side for the upcoming Ranji Trophy final, Pujara will represent for Saurashtra. It will make their batting stronger as Pujara is known for his strong batting performances.
Cheteshwar Pujara has an average of 63.62 in the Ranji Trophy 2019/20
In this Ranji Trophy season, Pujara has already played in five matches where he scored 509 runs in eight innings (average 63.62). The right-handed batsman hit one double-century and three half-centuries in this Ranji Trophy season.
Sheldon Jackson and Arpit Vasavada are the most in-form batsmen for the Saurashtra side in this season. In this Ranji season, while Jackson has scored 783 runs in 16 innings (average 52.20), Vasavada has scored 654 runs in 14 innings (average 54.50).
Chirag Jani is also a strong performer of this side who is handling the all-rounder role positively. While he has played nine matches in this Ranji season, he has scored 530 runs in 14 innings (average 44.16) and also taken 16 wickets.
In bowling, Saurashtra is hugely depended on their captain Jaydev Unadkat. The left-arm pacer is unstoppable at the present moment as he has already taken 65 wickets in nine matches of this season and four wickets away to create a new record of most wickets in a Ranji Trophy season.
The left-arm spinner Dharmendrasinh Jadeja (29 wickets) and the right-arm medium pacer Prerak Mankad (21 wickets) are also playing positive roles with the ball in hand.
Since Saurashtra started their Ranji Trophy journey in the 1950/51 season, they haven’t won the Ranji Trophy yet. In the last season (2018/19), Vidarbha beat them in the Ranji Trophy final.
Saurashtra squad for 2019/20 Ranji Trophy final: Jaydev Unadkat (Captain), Cheteshwar Pujara, Sheldon Jackson, Kamlesh Makwana, Arpit Vasavada, Chirag Jani, Dharmendrasinh Jadeja, Harvik Desai, Snell Patel (WK), Kishan Parmar, Avi Barot (wicketkeeper), Prerak Mankad, Samarth Vyas, Vishwaraj Jadeja, Kushang Patel, Chetan Sakariya, Parth Bhut.