Pujara, Jadeja in Saurashtra squad for Vijay Hazare Trophy

Rajkot, September 16: Team India players Cheteshwar Pujara and Ravindra Jadeja have been included in the Saurashtra Cricket Association (SCA) team for the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy. The SCA announced their inclusion in the team on Sunday (September 16).

The Vijay Hazare Trophy will be played in New Delhi where last year's runners-up Saurashtra will play their first match against Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) on September 19, the SCA said in a media release. Saurashtra will play eight matches in the tournament.

However, Pujara, a Test specialist, and Jadeja, an all-rounder, may miss the fifth match, to be played on September 30, and the remaining matches, if they are selected in the national side for the next month's Test series at home against the West Indies.

When contacted, SCA media manager Himanshu Shah told PTI, "Pujara and Jadeja have been included in the squad. The duo will play first half of the tournament as West Indies will start their India tour by playing the first Test at the SCA stadium at Khandheri here on October 4."

Pujara and Jadeja have been the star performers for Saurashtra in domestic cricket matches. During the recently concluded Test series against England which India lost by 1-4, Pujara scored a century and a half-century, while Jadeja, who played only the last Test, shone with both bat and ball.

"The first Test match between India and the West Indies will start from October 4 at the SCA stadium. The two players are likely to miss second half of the Vijay Hazare Trophy," Shah said.

The SCA team management has not yet declared the captain for the squad so far. However, Pujara is likely to lead the side in the prestigious domestic tournament, while Jaydev Shah may be the captain of Saurashtra in his absence.

Team:

Jaydev Shah, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ravindra Jadeja, Robin Uthappa, Sheldon Jackson, Jaydev Unadkat, Samarth Vyas, Arpit Vasavada, Avi Barot, Prerak Mankad, Chirag Jani, Dharmendra Jadeja, Kamlesh Makwana, Yuvraj Chudasama, Saurya Sanandiya, Agnivesh Ayach and Hardik Rathod.