Exclusive | I am a complete all-rounder, IPL franchises must take note of my recent performances: Chirag Jani

33-year-old Chirag Jani made a statement with his allrounder performance for Saurashtra, in the Vijay Hazare final against Maharashtra, on December 2, at Narendra Modi Stadium, in Ahmedabad. A brilliant hattrick in the 1st innings was very well illustrated with an unbeaten 30 during the run chase; Bhavnagar-born batting allrounder is hoping to get a well-deserved bid at upcoming IPL 2023 mini-auctions. 

The Saurashtra allrounder was adjudged Player of the Match in the finals of the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2022. Jani’s performance in the summit clash was not just a fluke; instead, he gave a glimpse of his form in the fourth quarterfinal of the tournament, against Tamil Nadu. 

With his unbeaten 52 in just 31 deliveries, Chirag Jani was the second-highest run-getter after opener Harvik Desai (61 off 78), guiding Saurashtra to a competitive score of 293-8 against Tamil Nadu. Meanwhile, Jani’s best was yet to come as he bagged three wickets in the second innings, including dangerous-looking Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore (74 off 92). 

Winning the Vijay Hazare trophy 2022: 

It was a great day. The whole team lived up to the expectations. I had full faith in myself and wanted to make a mark with my performance. I was eager to go in the middle and contribute. I am fortunate that my performance was recognised, and I got Player of the Match in the final. Every player in the squad knew his responsibility, and that reflected in our performance. 

Expectations from IPL 2023 mini-auctions:

“I am expecting a decent bid in IPL 2023 auctions. I have been in good form in recent past, hoping to be acknowledged by IPL franchise,” Chirag Jain told The Quotes.

Notably, Jani was part of the Kolkata Knight Riders set-up in 2012, but since then, the allrounder has been missing IPL action, as he failed to gain the trust of any of the franchises. 

However, Saurashtra’s all-rounder is optimistic and feels his hard work and patience will pay off one day. 

“I have invested lot of hard work, and enhance my game significantly. My recent performances in the domestic circuit speaks volumes of my talent as an allrounder. I can be a great asset to any franchise. I am a wicket-take bowler, can score at the required pace, and I have caused few good run-outs in the Vijay Hazare Trophy,” Jani said. 

Spectacular performance in Dhaka Premier League 2022:

Jani’s performance in the Dhaka Premier League 2022 for Legends of Rupganj went unnoticed by many in India, but the right-handed batter was among the top performers in the league.

His all-around performance became the talk of the town in Bangladesh, as he amassed 597 runs (fifth-highest wicket-taker) and bagged 22 wickets (third-highest) in 14 innings. 

“I am playing domestic cricket from quite some time now. I have good experience of performing in crunch situations. I believe, I am a match-winner and carry the same approach towards every game and format,” concluded Jani.

Dinesh Karthik’s comeback gave a lot of hope:

The cricketer further told The Quotes that he had taken a lot of hope from Dinesh Karthik’s comeback to the squad. 

“All those players in the domestic set-up who are running out of age look up to Dinesh bhai. He has literally proved the fact that age is just a number. I hope my domestic performance can help me to get a chance at a better stage, where I can show everyone my potential,” Jani said. 

Ranji Trophy 2022-23:

There will be a shift from the white-ball squad to red-ball cricket. We have camps in Rajkot, and I am confident our team will emerge as a strong force in the elite tournament.