Few moments in cricket commentary have had such ironic resonance as the one that took place during Maharashtra’s Ranji Trophy clash against Kerala on Wednesday. The season opener has already started dramatically, with Maharashtra reduced to 5/4 and later to 18/5. Yet it was veteran all-rounder Jalaj Saxena’s arrival at the crease that ignited a conversation that quickly went viral.
In the commentary box were former Indian players and selectors Salil Ankola and Chetan Sharma, both of whom had previously overseen the selection of the national team. “Very surprising that Saxena never played for India,” Ankola noted on air. Chetan Sharma laughingly replied, “Salil, you used one word – ‘very surprising’ – but let me tell you, we were both ex-selectors.” Ankola retorted, “And you were the chairman!” Chetan concluded with a wry smile, “They had to point fingers at us too.”
When they showed Jalaj Saxena’s home stats one commentator said he has such great stats but it’s surprising he hasn’t played for India and another commentator replied
“Surprisingly” we were both selectors and you were chairman. pic.twitter.com/QvtzZEbWkG https://t.co/q8kHY6rkkv— Aditya Soni (@imAdsoni) October 15, 2025
The light-hearted banter quickly attracted attention on social media as cricket fans noted that between the two they oversaw selection windows spanning almost four years between 2020 and 2024 – a period during which Jalaj Saxena continued to excel in domestic cricket without earning an international call-up.
Since making his first-class debut in December 2005, Saxena has established himself as one of the most respected players in the Ranji Trophy. He holds the record for most wickets in the tournament and last season became the first cricketer to achieve the double milestone of 6,000 runs and 400 wickets in his career.
This season, Saxena moved from Kerala to Maharashtra. In an interview with ESPNcricinfo earlier this year, he admitted that he had “come to terms with not representing India” and that his “heart and emotions belong to first-class cricket”. He explained to The Tech Word News before the start of the season that the decision to change base was a personal one: “It’s time to be closer to home, maybe bring my aging parents with me. But nothing against Kerala. I love Kerala and hope to be linked again in the future.”
For almost two decades now, Saxena has been a fixture in domestic cricket, a player whose dedication and resilience have consistently stood out. At a time when talent often promises opportunity, few stories capture the staying power of Jalaj Saxena – a man who kept emerging season after season, long after the door to international cricket seemed firmly shut.
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Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
October 16, 2025
