Jaydev keen to follow in the footsteps of his father Niranjan Shah

Jaydev Shah, who hung up his boots on Wednesday, is keen to follow in the footsteps of his father and veteran cricket administrator Niranjan Shah.

Jaydev Shah walks back after scoring 97 against Karnataka in a Ranji Trophy fixture in Rajkot.

Jaydev Shah, who hung up his boots on Wednesday, is keen to follow in the footsteps of his father and veteran cricket administrator Niranjan Shah.

“I want to contribute to Saurashtra cricket, in some capacity. If it is through a post in the Saurashtra Cricket Association, then so be it. Everyone knows that my father has dedicated his life to Saurashtra cricket. I want to follow in his footsteps, and take Saurashtra cricket to an even higher level,” Jaydev told Sportstar here on Thursday.

READ: Saurashtra’s Jaydev Shah to retire from all cricket

Jaydev dismissed suggestions that he received favourable treatment through the course of his long career. “I’ve seen my father play and be involved in the sport from a young age. It was natural for me to take it up. The only thing that counts is that you must prove yourself once you get the opportunity. In that respect, I feel that I have proved myself as a cricketer. If I was a bad cricketer, could I have played domestic cricket for 15 years? No one in the team would have accepted me,” he said.

The 35-year-old stated that the 2007-08 Vijay Hazare Trophy title run and the two Ranji Trophy final appearances - all achieved under his captaincy - stand out as the highlights of his career. “It is also a matter of great pride that Saurashtra players Cheteshwar Pujara and Ravindra Jadeja have established themselves as India stars,” Jaydev said.