SCA to felicitate Ravindra Jadeja, Cheteshwar Pujara ahead of IND vs ENG 3rd Test - Reports

The third Test match between India and England will commence on February 15, Thursday, at the Saurashtra Cricket Association in Rajkot. Before the match, the Saurashtra Cricket Association (SCA) is set to felicitate Ravindra Jadeja and Cheteshwar Pujara for their contributions to Indian cricket. Both Jadeja and Pujara play domestic cricket for Saurashtra and have made their country and state proud with their achievements.

Ravindra Jadeja is currently the No.1 Test all-rounder in the ICC rankings and Cheteshwar Pujara is only the 13th Indian player to have played more than 100 Test matches for India. Rajkot is the home ground for both of these players and the SCA has decided to felicitate them during the new name function of the stadium on Wednesday, February 14. The Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium will be called Niranjan Shah Stadium from now on.

“We will be felicitating both Pujara and Ravindra during the function for the new name of the stadium,” says SCA President Jaydev Shah, as quoted by CricketNext News18. The squad for the remaining three Tests was announced by the BCCI on Saturday and Cheteshwar Pujara was not recalled even after performing well in the ongoing Ranji Trophy competition.

“I can’t say much on that (Pujara not playing) because it’s the team management’s and selectors’ call but had he been there, we would have been very proud. It’s not that we are not proud now, but we would have been more proud had he played. He has played over 100 Test matches and not many have managed to do that in India. He playing at Rajkot would have been great but that’s part of the game. You don’t get everything that you dream of. He has worked very hard. He made Saurashtra very proud,” says Jaydev.

While Cheteshwar Pujara Has Been Sidelined, Ravindra Jadeja’s Participation Is Subject To His Fitness

Ravindra Jadeja picked up a hamstring injury during the fourth day’s play of the first Test in Hyderabad and as a result, he also missed the second Test in Vizag. He is currently recovering at the NCA in Bengaluru and is expected to return to play the third Test. He will also be felicitated by the SCA on February 14 alongside Cheteshwar Pujara. Ravindra Jadeja scored 87 runs and also took three wickets in the first innings of the first Test in Hyderabad.

The five-match Test series between India and England is currently levelled at 1-1 and both sides will be looking to win the third Test in Rajkot to take the lead in the series. India lost the series opener in Hyderabad by 28 runs and then made a comeback in the second Test in Vizag winning it by 106 runs. The second Test in Vizag was played without the services of KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja.

India has not lost a Test series at home since 2012 and the last time they were defeated in India, Rohit Sharma was not a regular opener for India and was yet to make his Test debut. England holds the distinction of being the last team to win a Test series against India in India.