Ex-batter Ajay Jadeja to start new innings as Jam Saheb of Jamnagar

After cricket and Bollywood, Ajay Jadeja is set to start new innings, as Jam Saheb of Nawanagar, a former princely state now called Jamnagar, located in the historic Halar region along the southern coast of the Gulf of Kutch in Gujarat.

According to media reports, Ajay Jadeja is part of the Jamnagar royal family, which has a notable cricketing heritage. The esteemed Ranji Trophy and Duleep Trophy are named after his relatives, KS Ranjitsinhji and KS Duleepsinhji.

The current Jam Saheb, Shatrusalyasinhji Digvijaysinhji Jadeja, has announced Ajay Jadeja, a member of the royal family, as his successor.

“Dussehra is the day on which the Pandavas felt victorious upon successfully completing their 14 years of incognito existence. Today, I too feel victorious as Ajay Jadeja graciously accepts to be my successor and the next Jam Saheb of Nawanagar, which I truly believe is a great boon for the people of Jamnagar,” said Shatrusalyasinhji in a letter.

In August, during a visit to Poland, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute at the Jam Saheb of Nawanagar Memorial in Warsaw. This memorial honours Jam Saheb Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji, the former Maharaja of Nawanagar (now Jamnagar) in Gujarat, who is celebrated for his remarkable humanitarian contributions during World War II.

Ajay Jadeja’s father, Daulatsinhji Jadeja, served as a Member of Parliament from Jamnagar Lok Sabha three times. His mother hails from Alappuzha in Kerala. Ajay is married to Aditi Jaitly, the daughter of Jaya Jaitly, and they have two children, Aiman and Ameera.

A look at Ajay Jadeja's life

Ajay Jadeja, born on February 1, 1971, in Jamnagar, Gujarat, is a former Indian cricketer renowned for his dynamic playing style. He attended Sardar Patel Vidyalaya and made his international debut in 1992 against Sri Lanka. Over his career, he played 15 Test matches and 196 One Day Internationals (ODIs) until 2000, becoming a key player in the Indian cricket team.

He was part of the squad that won the 1995 Asia Cup and is remembered for his innings of 45 runs off just 25 balls against Pakistan in the 1996 World Cup quarter-final.

Jadeja was always complemented for his exceptional fielding skills, making him one of the best fielders of his era. However, his career faced a significant setback due to a five-year ban imposed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in 2000 over match-fixing allegations, which were later contested and partially lifted.

After retiring from cricket, Jadeja transitioned into acting and media, appearing in Bollywood films and serving as a cricket analyst. Recently, he has taken on mentorship roles, including with the Afghanistan cricket team during the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023.

(With agency inputs)