A few months ago, Ravindra Jadeja had to put up with claims about being one of the reasons why India were ousted from the World Twenty20 in England.
A few months ago, Ravindra Jadeja had to put up with claims about being one of the reasons why India were ousted from the World Twenty20 in England. Yesterday, the whipping boy proved that he can hold his own on the international stage with a match-winning performance against Sri Lanka in Cuttack.
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His four for 32 played a key role in restricting Sri Lanka to 239 all out. Upul Tharanga (73), Chamara Kapugedera (15), Nuwann Kulasekera (15) and Ajantha Mendis (6) were his victims.
Jadeja knew he got it right with his variation of pace on a slow pitch that had the Lankan batsmen in sixes and sevens.
The Saurashtra man owes his success to another tweaker u2013 a legendary one who answers to the name of Shane Keith Warne. It was the Aussie who nicknamed him Rock Star during the Indian Premier League. Both play for Rajasthan Royals, the winners in the inaugural 2008 edition.
"Calling me Rock Star, he (Warne) would make me dance at parties. He would introduce me to many people as if I was a star. He told me more than once that I had natural talent and urged me to try to do full justice to it.
He was particularly happy with my batting and fielding. He advised me to be positive, work harder and aim higher. I must say I found him both encouraging and inspirational," Jadeja said recently.
Cricket may not flow in Jadeja's veins, but he has a history, a legacy to inspire him as he hails from the erstwhile state of Jamnagar, which has produced stalwarts like K S Ranjitsinhji, K S Duleepsinhji, Vinoo Mankad and Salim Durrani. "Cricketers like these can inspire any budding player anywhere in the world, not just in India.
I am lucky to be born in a small, but historic place like Jamnagar," he said.
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There are shades of Mankad in whatever Jadeja does on the field. Like Mankad, he is a left-arm spinner in the classical mould. Though he bats left-handed, unlike Mankad, there are few similarities in their approach to batting. He is a naturally aggressive batsman who can play defensively when required. Like Mankad, again, he feels comfortable anywhere in the batting order.
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After the roasting the 20-year-old got for his forgettable batting performance (25 off 35 balls) in the key match against hosts England in the World Twenty20 in June. The all-rounder was also criticised for his temperament shown in the Hyderabad ODI against Australia recently when India lost despite Sachin Tendulkar scoring 175.
Jadeja has put back those disappointments well to come good against the Lankans, who are now 1-2 down in the series.
"Besides my cricketing skills, my mental toughness and positive attitude have always stood me in good stead, particularly in difficult situations," he said.
Jadeja hails from a lower middle-class family. His father, Aniruddhsinh, was an army man who later joined a private security agency as a watchman. His mother, Lata, was a nurse in the Jamnagar civil hospital. "It was my mother's dream to see me represent India. Sadly, she isn't with me as she died in an accident in July, 2005. She would have been delighted and proud to see me play for the country," feels an emotional Jadeja.
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"I was always more interested in sports, mainly cricket and table tennis than studies. I was determined to become a cricketer because I had full faith in my potential. My father wanted me to join an army school, but I asked my mother to intervene and convince him about my cricketing ambitions," he said.
The manner in which he dismantled the Sri Lanka innings in Cuttack yesterday, Kumar Sangakkara would have hoped that his young scourge would have been pursuing another career.
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