India's playing 11 from Ravindra Jadeja's Test debut - where are they now?
Ravindra Jadeja, one of India's greatest all-format all-rounders turns 36 on Wednesday, December 6, 2023. The southpaw has been a consistent feature in the Indian playing XI for well over a decade now and he is still a vital cog for the national team. Apart from his exceptional batting and bowling ability, he is also one of the greatest fielders in the game.
Jadeja made his international debut during the tour of Sri Lanka in 2009, and it took him almost three years to feature in red-ball cricket. He made his Test debut in the fourth Test against England at Nagpur. India, trailing 2-1 in a series, were desperate for a win and named four spinners, including Jadeja in the playing XI.
He claimed three wickets and scored 12 runs in his maiden outing as the match ended in a draw. Since then, he has featured in 67 Tests, scoring 2804 runs and taking 275 wickets.
On that note, let us take a look at Ravindra Jadeja's teammates from his maiden Test appearance, and what they are up to now.
Top order - Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, and Cheteshwar Pujara
Virender Sehwag retired from international cricket in 2015 and was recently inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame. The opening batter had a stint with the Kings XI Punjab (now renamed Punjab Kings) as a member of their coaching staff and is now primarily a cricket pundit.
Gautam Gambhir has dwelled in broadcasting, coaching, and politics since his international retirement in 2018. He was recently appointed as Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) mentor ahead of the 2024 IPL season and is also leading the India Capitals in the ongoing Legends League Cricket competition.
Cheteshwar Pujara played his 100th Test for India during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy earlier this year and is currently representing Saurashtra in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. He missed out on the squad for the upcoming two-match Test series against South Africa away from home.
Middle order- Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, and MS Dhoni
Sachin Tendulkar announced his retirement from cricket in 2013, and since then has been involved as an ambassador for the game. He was present on numerous occasions during the 2023 ODI World Cup, including the final in Ahmedabad.
Virat Kohli continues to play for India and has been enjoying a purple patch of late. He had a historic 2023 ODI World Cup campaign, becoming the first player to cross the 700-run mark in a single edition. He will be next seen in the Test series against South Africa.
MS Dhoni is one of the players that Ravindra Jadeja has played along with for quite a while. Apart from the international fixtures, the duo have been part of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) outfit for a long period. The former India skipper retired from international cricket in 2020 but continues to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
The duo of Jadeja and Dhoni won the IPL title in 2021 and 2023, and are on course to play the 2024 season together as well.
Bowlers - Ravichandran Ashwin, Pragyan Ojha, Piyush Chawla, and Ishant Sharma
Ravichandran Ashwin came into the white-ball setup abruptly and was part of the 2022 T20 World Cup and the 2023 ODI World Cup squad. He is still the premier spin bowling choice for India in Tests, at least in home conditions along with Ravindra Jadeja.
The veteran off-spinner also runs a successful YouTube channel and is quite active on social media voicing his opinion about the sport.
Pragyan Ojha announced his retirement from all formats of cricket in 2020. He has served as a member of the IPL Governing Council, a post he has held for the last three years. He is part of the Urbanrisers Hyderabad squad in the Legends League Cricket and also played for the Texas Chargers in the US MAsters T10 recently.
Jadeja's maiden Test was Piyush Chawla's third and last Test appearance for India. He continues to play domestic cricket and was part of the Mumbai Indians (MI) squad in the 2023 edition of the IPL.
Ishant Sharma was the lone pacer in the playing XI when Jadeja made his Test debut. He made over 100 Test appearances but has now been sidelined following the emergence of Mohammed Siraj. He is currently representing Delhi in the Vijay Hazare trophy and is also part of the Delhi Capitals (DC) in the IPL.