Saurashtra’s Ranji Trophy Season Sees Three Debutants Amid Transition Phase
The ongoing Ranji Trophy 2024-25 season has been a mixed bag for the Saurashtra cricket team. After four matches, they have drawn two and lost two, leaving them in seventh place in their group. Despite the disappointing results, Saurashtra captain Jaydev Unadkat believes his side is “going through a period of transition.”
A key highlight of Saurashtra’s campaign so far has been the inclusion of three debutants – pace bowlers Navneet Vora and Hiten Kanbi, as well as batter Parswaraj Rana. While Vora and Rana have had modest outings, Kanbi made a promising debut against Jharkhand, picking up 5 for 70 in the first innings and adding one more wicket in the second.
“Efforts are being made to give opportunities to youngsters. As captain, I want this change to be smooth,” Unadkat told ESPNcricinfo. “We want young players to come forward, and we want them to be given maximum opportunities. I want young players to settle in our team during my captaincy.”
Unadkat, who has led Saurashtra to the Ranji Trophy final thrice in the last five seasons, winning the title twice, understands that a change of guard is imminent. Experienced players like Sheldon Jackson (38), Cheteshwar Pujara (36), and Arpit Vasavada (36) are nearing the end of their careers, along with Dharmendrasinh Jadeja (34) and Unadkat himself (33).
Despite the team’s current position, Unadkat remains focused on guiding Saurashtra to victory. “If you ask me what is most important for me, then I would say that I keep thinking about ways of taking Saurashtra to victory. I think about my team. When I wake up in the morning, the first thought that comes to my mind is how our team will win, and how it will become better. This is the biggest motivation for me right now.”
Unadkat, one of 1574 players who have entered the mega auction for IPL 2025, is hopeful of being retained by Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), the eighth different franchise he has represented since his IPL debut in 2010. However, he is also prepared to join a new team if the opportunity arises.
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