Ravindra Jadeja made an impressive return to red-ball cricket, scoring a century for Saurashtra against Chhattisgarh in the 2026-27 Ranji Trophy on Monday. The Indian all-rounder scored 102 runs off 209 balls, helping his team recover from a difficult position and post a strong first-innings total of 392 in Rajkot. The century comes at an important time for Jadeja, who is preparing for India’s upcoming two-Test tour of New Zealand next month. Saurashtra were under pressure when Jadeja came to the crease at 120/3. Another wicket fell soon after, leaving the team at 151 and in need of a strong partnership.

Jadeja joined Prerak Mankad, and the two batters completely changed the direction of the innings. They put together an outstanding 205-run partnership for the fifth wicket, taking Saurashtra into a commanding position. Mankad played an aggressive innings, scoring 129 off 150 balls with 15 fours and a six. Jadeja, meanwhile, focused on building his innings patiently, hitting 7 boundaries during his 209-ball knock. Their partnership helped Saurashtra reach 356/5 before Jadeja was dismissed for 102 by Dharmendrasinh Jadeja, his former Saurashtra teammate who is representing Chhattisgarh this season.

The century was Jadeja’s 16th in first class cricket and highlighted his ability to contribute with the bat in challenging situations. The all-rounder recently featured in India’s 2-1 ODI series victory over West Indies, taking two wickets across two matches without getting an opportunity to bat. The first Test is scheduled to take place in Wellington from November 19 to 23, followed by the second Test in Christchurch from November 27 to December 1. Saurashtra are placed in Elite Group B alongside Andhra, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Hyderabad, Karnataka, Punjab and Tripura. With several competitive teams in the group, a strong start will be important for their chances of progressing further in the tournament. For Jadeja, the century serves as a timely reminder of his value in red-ball cricket. With the New Zealand Test series approaching, his ability to spend time at the crease and build a big innings will be encouraging news for the Indian team.