Jalaj Saxena to match Bishan Singh Bedi as Kerala win innings against Odisha in Ranji Trophy

He gripped the ball, the bails flew and the rain threatened to play a party. But Kerala found its voice under the dark, gloomy clouds. By the time Odisha’s last wicket fell at the Greenfield Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday afternoon, the hosts had registered an innings win by seven vital runs on their home turf. Kerala needed just over 23 overs to bundle out Odisha’s innings for 143 to post an innings and 36 runs.In the middle was Jalaj Saxena, the veteran off-spinner who mesmerized Odisha with a trickery to finish with figures of 5/34 from 18 overs.This was Jalaj’s 35th five-wicket haul in the Ranji Trophy, a phenomenal tally that puts him level with the great Bishan Singh Bedi for the joint-fifth most five-fors in the history of the tournament. Meanwhile, Odisha became the 20th Ranji team against whom he took five wickets.Try him on his record day and the man shrugs. “I didn’t know I could match Bishan paaji,” he says. “Who is the bowler with the most five-fors? Is it Rajinder Goel?” he asks. Jalaj is right.The legendary slow left-arm orthodox spinner holds the record for five wickets in Ranji Trophy with 59 five-fors.The recipe for Jalaj’s success is built on his love for the game. “I love the feeling of wearing white and playing for four days,” Jalaj tells TOI.In the offseason, he worked tirelessly on his conditioning, persistently strengthening his back and core to build the stamina to bowl longer.“Odisha were already on the back foot and were four wickets down going into the last day. The plan was simple: get the ball to the right areas,” he explains.Jalaj got the ball into the right areas and the pitch did the rest. A true team man, Jalaj credits the group and not himself for this resounding victory. “It’s a team effort,” he says.Kerala’s batsmen built the platform, with centuries from Sachin Baba and Mohammed Azharuddeen.At 39, an age when most cricketers walk off into the sunset, Jalaj is hungry and still trying to climb the ladder. “If you don’t have long-term goals, then there’s no point in playing Ranji Trophy,” he quips. “Getting to the next level is what I’m always looking for,” he explains.“If you ask Sachin and Azhar, even they have ambitions to play in the IPL and represent India,” explains Jalaj.His never-say-die attitude might rub off on some of Kerala’s younger players. Among them is off-spinner Vaisakh Chandran, who returned to first-class cricket in the previous match against Jharkhand.“I love bowling in tandem with Vaisakh. He is a talented off-spinner and a keen student,” he adds.The timing makes this win sweeter. With the festival in the air, Saxena delivered the perfect Dussehra gift for Kerala. Next up is Bengal. “Let’s take it one game at a time. I’m not looking too far ahead,” concludes Jalaj.