117 Years After Ranji, Meet The New Jamsaheb

Another cricketer has been anointed as the Jam Saheb of Nawanagar.

117 years after the legendary cricketer Ranjitsinhji was controversially declared the jamsaheb of Nawanagar, Ajay Jadeja -- a fine cricketer, but whose achievements won't match the Great Ranji's sterling exploits as a batter -- has been proclaimed the jamsaheb of the erstwhile princely state of Nawanagar, now known as Jamnagar.

Shatrusalyasinhji Digvijaysinhji Jadeja, 85, the current jam saheb and cousin of Ajay's father Daulatsinhji Pratapsinhji, will relinquish his throne after 58 years.

'The festival of Dussehra is celebrated to mark the day the Pandavas emerged victorious from their exile. Today, on Dussehra, I am equally happy, as Ajay Jadeja has accepted to be my heir,' the current jamsaheb said in a statement.

'Ajay Jadeja taking up the responsibility of serving Jamnagar is a blessing for its people. I extend my sincere gratitude to him,' the statement added.

Ajay played 15 Tests and 196 ODIs for India between 1992 and 2000. He was the mentor for the Afghan cricket team at last year's ODI World Cup where Rashid Khan and his boys had unbelievable victories against England and Pakistan, and almost won the game against Australia at the Wankhede stadium.

While his father is from Nawanagar, his mother is a native of Alappuzha in Kerala. His parents fell in love when his mother nursed his father after he suffered a serious accident.

Jadeja is married to Aditi Jaitly, daughter of politician Jaya Jaitly and former Jammu and Kashmir chief secretary Ashok Jaitly. Like Ajay's mother, Aditi's mother Jaya Jaitly is a Malayalee, the daughter of the distinguished civil servant and diplomat K K Chettur.

There is a third famous cricket connection to Nawanagar. Ranji's nephew, the amazing cricketer Duleepsinhji, was also from the province. Two of India's most prestigious domestic cricket competitions are named after uncle and nephew -- the Ranji Trophy and the Duleep Trophy.

Duleepsinhji's brother Digvijaysinhji is current Jam Saheb Shatrusalyasinhji's father.

You can read more about Ranji here, Duleepsinhji here, K K Chettur here, Digvijaysinhji here and Shatrusalyasinhji here (all external links).