IPL 2021: Jalaj Saxena set to unveil his version of carrom ball this season

Jalaj Saxena has been one of the top cricketers in the Indian domestic system for the past couple of years. His record is quite magnificent and he has not put a foot wrong. But still, the all-rounder has not received a call-up for the national team. As a matter of fact, having been part of three IPL teams in the past, he is yet to play a match in the cash-rich league. 

This time around, Saxena found a new team as Punjab Kings bought him for INR 30 Lakhs. This comes after years of experience in the domestic setup. He has featured in 123 first-class matches, scoring 6334 runs at an average of 36 and has taken 347 wickets at an average of 27.17. 

In a recent interaction, the Kerala all-rounder revealed that he has been working on his carrom ball for a long time. He also explained that there is a need to continuously keep learning new things. The 34-year-old further noted that the way he has worked hard is the reason why he has been getting picked in the IPL teams. 

I like to stay updated and keep learning new things: Jalaj Saxena

“I like to update myself every year, I try to keep learning new things,” Saxena told Cricketnext. “I’ve been working on the carrom ball for a long time. Not just that, there are many variations that I try to keep learning. It’s always good to learn new things. You shouldn’t be stagnant. That’s what I’ve been doing, these are the rewards, that I’m getting selected for IPL franchises again. So I like to stay updated and keep learning new things,” Saxena added. 

Saxena was the part of Mumbai Indians franchise in 2013 and 2014. He then joined Royal Challengers Bangalore for the 2015 season. In 2019, he was picked up by Delhi Capitals but didn’t feature in any matches that season as well. In the recent domestic season, his form with the ball was impressive, which propelled him to find a buyer this season again. 

In the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2021, he picked up eight wickets with the ball at an economy of 3.74. In the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy 2021, Jalaj Saxena took 10 wickets from five matches at an economy of 6.26. 

Watch five biggest IPL controversies