It’s a BIRD, it’s a PLANE. No, it’s “Sir Ravindra Jadeja”!! Take a bow!! After a career that has seen him go through more ups and downs than the Indian stock market, Ravindra Jadeja has finally scaled the summit. He has become the number 1 ranked all-rounder in Test cricket, taking over West Indies lynchpin Jason Holder after his heroics with the bat and ball in the test series against Mohali. Jaddu had a sensational test match, scoring an unbeaten 175 and then following up with 9 wickets in both innings with the ball, taking 5-41 in the 1st innings, and following it up with a four-fer, taking 4-46, just missing out on a 10-wicket haul by just one wicket.
Ravindra Jadeja has come a long way, and his ranking at the top of the table is a testament to his unwavering spirit and desire for the game that we so love and cherish. He was constantly mocked, criticized, and mercilessly trolled for his seemingly endless limitations, with some even calling him unfit to represent India in any capacity.
Ravindra Jadeja Has Come A Long-Long Way And His Journey Isn’t Done Just Yet
He kept on piling the runs in domestic cricket, scoring runs by the bucketload in Ranji for Saurashtra, scoring three triple-hundreds in first-class cricket, a record he shares with the iconic players like Brian Lara, Mike Hussey, Don Bradman, W.G.Grace, and so on. yet the people mocked his achievements, saying that his runs were not a result of his sparkling form, but because of the poor quality of the bowlers in domestic cricket as well as the pitches.
Still, he didn’t let the outside noise affect him one bit, carrying on with his performances and letting it do the talking. And it was because of his performances that he got his test call-up, and from there on it was a case of no looking back. Jadeja made the ball talk, making a mockery of the vest of batsmen, and bamboozling them with his bag of tricks. But there were still doubters, with the question marks on his batting still remaining. So Jaddu did what he best does: let his bat do the talking. year by year, he perfected his batting, refined his technique, and is now starting to reap the rewards of his persistence.
Even then, it felt like he just couldn’t win some people over. When some people called him different names, like a “bits and pieces” player, and so on, he still did not retort, and now that gentleman who said that statement is now eating humble pie. His fielding skills are second to none. With an arm as accurate as a sniper and acceleration as quick as a cheetah, you just can’t take him on, because chances are, you’ll lose.
Former Indian captain and CSK skipper MS Dhoni said this in 2010, “We need to have patience and one day Ravindra Jadeja will be the all-rounder that India needs.” Golden words from a “Golden Man” indeed.
So, a career that started with uncertainty continued towards mediocrity, is now reaching towards the pinnacle of excellence. No one has had a career that transcends the boundaries of myth as Sir Jadeja.
Long may it continue!!
Joy Barma
26 Jul 2022Thank you for this blog. this is a very informative and useful blog about cricket.