Saurashtra captain Jaydev Shah added another feather to his cap on Monday when he walked out for the toss at Delhi’s Karnail Singh Stadium against Vidarbha in the 7th Rd Group B match on Monday. Jaydev became the first player to captain a team in the Ranji Trophy for the 100th time. The 33-year-old first led Saurashtra 12 years back in 2004 during a home match against Jharkhand.
“It is a memorable feeling. I need to thank my association (Saurashtra Cricket Association), fellow players and the support staff for showing faith in me and giving me this responsibility. It is a proud feeling to become the first person to captain a team in 100 Ranji Trophy matches,” Jaydev told BCCI.TV after the first day’s play.
Looking back at his long tenure, Jaydev said he was happy with the way it panned out. “I don’t believe in chopping and changing the team’s combination after every match. I have always made it a point to give enough opportunities to the players and have been fair to everyone. I am glad that there is no feeling of discontent and there are no disputes. We have a very friendly atmosphere.”
Having played first-class cricket for 14 seasons, Jaydev is still chasing his dream of winning the Ranji Trophy. “It is my dream to see Saurashtra lift the Ranji Trophy under my captaincy. We have reached the finals twice (2012-13 & 2015-16) but haven’t managed to win it. We must keep trying. I want to help Saurashtra cricket in whichever way possible and winning the Ranji Trophy will be a big boost.”
Contrary to the last edition when Saurashtra were on a roll and made it to the finals, the ongoing season has been a tough grind. Saurashtra are at the bottom of the table with three losses in five games. The skipper felt that the team was going through a transition. “Look, the team is in a transition phase again. Our U-23 team is doing well and it is a tough task when the boys play the first-class level. They are learning. There are still three matches left and one cannot lose hope.”
