Ranji Trophy: Jalaj Saxena becomes first player to achieve 400 wickets-6000 runs double

Saxena picked his 400th Ranji Trophy wicket when he dismissed Nitish Rana for 25, his fourth scalp of the day against Uttar Pradesh.

Kerala’s Jalaj Saxena celebrate a wicket during Ranji Trophy Cricket match between Kerala and Uttar Pradesh. | Photo Credit: NIRMAL HARINDRAN/THE HINDU

Jalaj Saxena became the first player to achieve the record of scoring 6000 runs and picking up 400 wickets in the Ranji Trophy during the fourth-round match between Kerala and Uttar Pradesh in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday.

Saxena picked his 400th Ranji Trophy wicket when he dismissed Nitish Rana for 25, his fourth scalp of the day. He is the 13th bowler in the history of the tournament and the only active one to achieve this milestone.

The 37-year-old, who began his First-Class career in 2005, crossed the 6000-run mark in the previous round in Kolkata.

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He played for Madhya Pradesh for more than a decade before switching allegiance to Kerala in the 2016-17 season.

Since then, the off-spinner became Kerala’s second-highest wicket-taker in First-Class cricket, behind KN Ananthapadmanabhan.