Senior India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has confirmed his availability for two matches in Saurashtra’s 2025-26 Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT) campaign. According to The Times of India, Jadeja will likely play
in the country’s premier domestic 50-over cricket tournament on January 6 and January 8 against Services and Gujarat, respectively, with both matches to be hosted in Alur, Karnataka.
Jadeja has confirmed the plan to the Saurashtra Cricket Association (SCA). It comes after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)’s reported mandate to all first-teamers to use the international break between the rubbers against South Africa and New Zealand to put in some game-time for their states/regions.
The report, however, added that the plan might change if Jadeja is selected for the New Zealand series (which begins on January 11) and the team is asked to assemble early.
Still, Jadeja confirming his availability is a sign that he’s pushing for the 2027 World Cup, just like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Part of the 2025 Champions Trophy squad, Jadeja missed out on the tour of Australia and returned for the home series against South Africa, where he collected one wicket and 56 runs in two innings.
At the time of the Australia tour, chief selector Ajit Agarkar had said Jadeja was very much in the selectors’ plans, but acknowledged there would be competition for places, hinting that he was behind Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav in the pecking order for pace-friendly conditions.
“I want to play [ODIs], but it’s not in my hands,” Jadeja said during the Test series against the West Indies. “At the end of the day, the team management, captain, and the coach think a certain way. They must have a reason for not selecting me for this series… The next time I get the chance, I will do what I have been doing for so long. And the major tournaments, like the World Cup, if I can do well in the ODIs before that and get the chance for it, then I will do my best for Indian cricket. Winning the 50-over World Cup is everyone’s dream. We missed it marginally the last time, so if possible, we will try to go all the way this time,” Jadeja said.
