Jalaj Suxena Wiki, Age, Height, Family, Biography More – WikiBio

Jalaj Saxena is an Indian all-round cricketer who plays domestic cricket for Kerela. He has previously represented Chattisgarh for more than ten years in the domestic cricket and shifted his base to Kerela, seeking better opportunities. Four times recipient of the prestigious Lala Ram Best All-Rounder in Ranji Trophy Award, Jalaj is considered by many as the best all-rounder in India’s domestic cricket circuit.

Wiki/Biography

Jalaj Saxena was born on Monday, 15 December 1986 (age 34 years; as of 2020) in Bhilai, Chhattisgarh. His full name is Jalaj Sahai Saxena. His zodiac sign is Sagittarius. He completed high school from English Medium Middle School Sector 5, Bhilai.

Jalaj Saxena posing at the entrance of his school

Jalaj was around 8 years old when he started playing cricket. After class four, he only used to visit the school to attend examinations. He completed his formal education while simultaneously focusing on cricket. He did secondary schooling from BSP Senior Secondary School sector 4, Bhilai, followed by graduation from Bhilai’s Kalyan College in 2003.

Physical Appearance

Height (approx): 5′ 10″

Eye Colour: Black

Hair Colour: Black

Family & Caste

Jalaj Saxena belongs to the Kayastha community.

Parents & Siblings

His father, Ghanshyam Saxena, runs a Yoga institute, YogSharnam, in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. His mother’s name is Manju Saxena.

Jalaj Saxena’s parents

Jalaj Saxena’s father, Ghanshyam Saxena, practising meditation

His elder brother, Jatin Saxena, is also a professional cricketer and has played domestic cricket for Chattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.

Jalaj Saxena’s brother, Jatin Saxena

Career

Domestic Cricket

On 17 December 2005, at the age of 20, Jatin Saxena played his first domestic cricket match, representing Madhya Pradesh against Kerela, in the 2005-06 Ranji Trophy. He gained the attention of Indian cricket selectors after his performances in the 2012-13 Ranji Trophy, in which he scored 769 runs at an average of 69.90 including two centuries. Consequently, he has selected in India A squad for a series against Australia and New Zealand. His performance was above average in both the series. In the 2013-14 season of Ranji Trophy, Saxena amassed 545 runs and scalped 35 wickets, including three fifers and two ten-wicket hauls. He finished among the top wicket-takers of the season. In the 2014–15 Ranji Trophy, Saxena scored 768 runs at an average of 45.17. He scored three centuries in that season. The months and years kept passing, and Saxena kept performing consistently with both the bat and the ball. In the 2015-16 Ranji Trophy season, Saxena scored 530 runs at an average of 44.16. He also performed exceptionally well with the ball taking 46 wickets, including four five-wicket hauls and one ten-wicket haul. During the tournament, he produced a magical bowling spell of 16 wickets for 154 runs in a match against Railways, registering the second-best bowling figures in the history of Ranji Trophy. After representing Madhya Pradesh for more than 10 years, Jalaj decided to continue his further cricket career by playing for Kerela. He also explained the reason that compelled him to make a decision as big as this. During an interview, he said,

I was scoring runs and picking wickets for Madhya Pradesh. But I felt if I move to a smaller team (Kerala) and perform there and take them to elite level then I would be noticed more and get the much-needed recognition. Kerala being a smaller team if they achieve something big with me performing good I would get the recognition, so that was the main reason and I took some risks to get the recognition.

With 44 wickets in the tournament, Saxena was the leading wicket-taker in the 2017–18 Ranji Trophy. In the next Ranji Trophy season, he was the leading run-scorer for Kerela. He also represented India Blue and India C, in the 2019–20 Duleep Trophy and the 2019–20 Deodhar Trophy, respectively. From 1 August 2014, there were only five all-rounder cricketers in the world who have the combination of 3000+ runs and 150+ wickets, Jalaj Saxena stood at third in the list.

Statistics of the best all-rounders in first-class cricket

He was also the highest wicket-taker in Ranji Trophy since its seasons from 2015 to 2020.

Statistics of highest wicket-takers in Ranji Trophy since 2015-16

IPL

Jalaj Saxena has been a part of three IPL franchises. Saxena was purchased by the Mumbai Indians for Rs 90 lakh in the players’ auction ahead of IPL 2013. He was replaced by West-Indian batsman Lendon Simmons in the middle of IPL 2014. In the players’ auction for IPL 2015, Royal Challengers Bangalore picked him at his base price of 10 lakh.

Awards & Achievements

• Jalaj Saxena won the prestigious Lala Amarnath award for the best all-rounder in Ranji Trophy by BCCI four times consecutively – in 2014-15, 2015-16, 2017-18, and 2018-19.
  

  Jalaj Saxena receiving BCCI’s Lala Amarnath award for best all-rounder 2015-16

  

  Former Indian cricketer Bishan Singh Bedi presenting BCCI’s Lala Amarnath award for Best All-rounder to Jalaj Saxena

• In August 2019, Jalaj Saxena created history by becoming the first uncapped Indian to score 6000 first-class runs and pick up 300 wickets.

• In the last five years, Saxena is one among five all-rounders to have 3,000+ runs and 150+ wickets in first-class cricket. The elite list includes England internationals Moeen Ali and Ben Stokes, New Zealander Jeetan Patel and Kent cricketer D. Stevens.

Favourite Things

Actress: Aishwarya Rai

Hobby: Photography

Film: Now You See Me (2013)

Cricketers: Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, and Shane Warne

Cricket Ground: Eden Gardens, Kolkata

Facts/Trivia

• Jalaj Saxena is fondly called Babul by the people at his home.

• Jalaj considers playing his first match for India A cricket team as his favourite cricketing moment until now.

• Till the age of 17, Jalaj did not have any professional cricket coach to train him. When he realised, he could make a career in cricket, he got enrolled at a cricket academy in Indore, Cricket Club of India (CCI). Recalling the time in an interview, Jalal said,
  

  Initially, when I started playing cricket, it was me, my brother and my father. My father used to bowl at me, he used to take me different grounds. There was no actual coaching and actual coaches till the age of 17-18. Bhilai is a very small town and there was no proper coaching. So we used to play club cricket. My brother and I talked a lot about cricket, my father helped me a lot. No professional coaching.