All-rounder Jalaj Saxena has confirmed he has played his last match for Kerala, wrapping up a nine-season association that began in 2016-17. Writing on Instagram, Saxena said, “I have played my last game in Kerala colours, and that thought still feels surreal,” before adding that “this is not a goodbye” – a hint that his playing days are far from over even if he has not yet named a new team.
Across formats for Kerala he scored 3153 runs and picked up 352 wickets. The bulk of that haul came in first-class cricket: 2252 runs, three hundreds and 269 wickets at 20.68, with 23 five-fors. Only KN Ananthapadmanabhan, with 310, has taken more first-class wickets for the state. Last season’s Ranji Trophy run to the final – Kerala lost to Vidarbha – saw Saxena become the first player to notch 6000 runs and 400 wickets in the competition’s long history.
A quick rewind. Saxena debuted for his home state, Madhya Pradesh, back in 2005-06, then moved south looking for a fresh start. Including his years with MP, his overall first-class figures stand at 7060 runs and 484 wickets. That’s 34 five-wicket hauls, numbers that keep his name floating around any “best uncapped Indian cricketer” chat.
Why leave now? Saxena didn’t spell it out, instead focusing on gratitude. “I’ve given blood, sweat, and tears – everything I had – for this journey, and in return, it gave me memories and bonds that will last a lifetime,” he wrote. He thanked team-mates, Kerala Cricket Association officials, coaches, and the grounds staff who, in his words, “work tirelessly so we can have our game.”
Kerala coach Tinu Yohannan kept it brief when contacted: “Jalaj’s work ethic is second to none. Youngsters here learnt just by watching him bowl in the nets.” A senior team-mate, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, “We always felt ten runs and a wicket ahead when he was in the XI.”
From a purely cricketing angle, Kerala lose a banker. Tall off-spin – the quicker, top-spinner-heavy kind ideal for slow, low Indian decks – doesn’t grow on trees, and his late-order runs often patched early collapses. Replacing that package is no small task, especially with the next Ranji season only a few months away.
As for Saxena’s future, a return to Madhya Pradesh is an obvious possibility, though a couple of other state associations are understood to have sounded him out. Until something is signed, speculation will rumble on.
Whatever comes next, Saxena leaves behind a neat slice of Kerala cricket history and, just maybe, keeps the door ajar for that elusive India cap. As he put it himself, “Cricket has taught me that every ending is just a new beginning.”
