Jadeja caps comeback from injury with seven-wicket haul

Star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja on Thursday picked up seven wickets for Saurashtra in Tamil Nadu’s second innings to show he was back to full fitness ahead of the all important Test series against Australia.
The left-arm spinner was in his element as he ran through the TN batting lineup to lead Saurashtra’s fightback after conceding a huge first innings lead in the Ranji Trophy tie.
With the Test series against Australia looming, Jadeja’s impressive comeback from injury would be a welcome sign for the team management. The visiting team was dismissed for 192 in response to TN’s first innings score of 324, conceding a lead of 132 runs. However, Jadeja’s heroics helped Saurashtra bundle out the home team for 133 in just 36.1 overs in the second innings.
Needing 266 runs for an outright win, the former Ranji champions lost the wicket of opening batter Jay Gohil (0) to end the day at 4 for 1. Resuming at the overnight 92 for 3, Saurashtra must have pinned hopes on Jadeja coming up with a substantial knock to swell the score. However, the stand in captain could make only 15 (23 balls, 3 fours) before B Aparajith trapped in front of the wicket.
Young left-arm spinner S Ajith Ram and fellow spinner M Siddharth did well for TN, picking up three wickets each to engineer a collapse. From 101 for 3, Saurashtra were bowled out for 192 in 79.4 overs with Chirag Jani (49) being the top-scorer.