Jaydev Shah, the only cricketer to play more than 100 first-class games as a captain, has decided to announce his retirement from all forms of cricket. The upcoming Ranji Trophy fixture against Karnataka at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot will be the last time Shah will take the field both as a player and captain of Saurashtra.
The son of former BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah, Jaydev, does not hold a stellar record as a batsman. But when Saurashtra’s cricketing history will be written, it won’t be complete without a chapter on the left-hander’s name.
In his 119 first-class games – a record 111 as captain – the 25-year-old managed to score 5,253 runs with ten hundreds to his name at an average of a shade over 29. But more than numbers, it was his contribution as a captain that stood out. It was under his leadership that Saurashtra went up the ranks and players like Cheteshwar Pujara and Ravindra Jadeja went on to become India regulars.
Jaydev Shah also led Saurashtra to the Ranji Trophy finals in 2012-13 and 2015-16 – their best ever finish so far.
The team also won the Vijay Hazare One-Day tournament in 2007-08 under his captaincy, besides capturing the Ramakant Desai Zonal One Day Tournament.
He also led India A on the tour to Israel in 2008.
Jaydev is also the highest run-scorer for Saurashtra in the current domestic season with 326 runs in four matches at an average of 65.2 smashing a century and fifty each.
Though a part of Rajasthan Royals, Deccan Chargers, Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Lions in different IPL seasons, Shah never played a game in the cash-rich league.