Veteran spinner Jalaj Saxena was surprisingly overlooked when the squad for the South Zone team was announced for the upcoming Duleep Trophy 2023 tournament, despite being the highest wicket-taker in the previous Ranji Trophy tournament in elite group.

The all-rounder played 7 matches for Kerala and picked 50 wickets at an average of 19.26 and a strike rate of 41.92. His economy rate was 2.75. his best bowling in an innings was 8/36 and that in the match was 11/102.

However, all of this was forgotten when the South Zone squad for Duleep Trophy was picked.

"Highest wicket taker in Ranji trophy in India( Elite Group) didn't get picked in Duleep trophy. Can you please check whether it has ever happened in the Indian Domestic history? Just wanted to know. Not blaming anyone," Jalaj Saxena tweeted.

Jalaj, who bats right-handed, has played 133 First-class matches and scored 6567 runs at an average of 34.74. He has scored 14 centuries and 32 fifties in the format. His highest score is 194. In the bowling department, the off-spinner has 410 wickets to his name. He has registered 28 five-wicket hauls.

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Not only Jalaj, but former India pacer Venkatesh Prasad also supported the spinner’s queries and said that his exclusion was one of laughable things happening in Indian cricket.

“There are many laughable things happening in Indian cricket. The highest wicket taker in Ranji Trophy not being picked even for the South Zone team is as baffling as it gets. Just renders the Ranji Trophy useless..what a shame,” Prasad tweeted.  

The Duleep Trophy 2023 kicks off on June 28. The final of the event will start on July 12. All the matches will be played in Bengaluru.