5 cricketers whose Ranji performances could earn them IPL 2018 contracts

#3 Jalaj Saxena

Jalaj Saxena had a sensational Ranji season

Jalaj Saxena has featured in the domestic circuit for quite some time now, having made his Ranji debut in the 2007-08 season. At the age of 31, a national call-up seems unlikely, but Jalaj rekindled his hopes in the recently concluded edition of the Ranji Trophy. He was the highest wicket-taker in the tournament with an impressive 44 scalps, and even added 522 runs.

Jalaj has done consistently well with both bat and ball since as early as the 2012-13 Ranji season. His impressive performances saw him feature in the India-A squad in 2013. He was signed by the Mumbai Indians in 2013 as a replacement for Lendl Simmons and was then bought by the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the 2015 auction for ?10 lakhs. However, he didn't get a chance to feature for either of the two teams.

T20 cricket is known to favor all-rounders and Jalaj is among the most happening all-rounders around. He will be hopeful of not only bagging a deal in the upcoming auction, but also of getting a chance to feature in the starting eleven.