Ravindra Jadeja – An example of how to improve as a cricketer

Ravindra Jadeja’s self belief stood the test of nationwide criticism

Probably, the only person who never doubted his ability to forge his cricketing credentials on the highest level, was Ravindra Jadeja himself. From being literally slammed out of international cricket by a ruthless Shane Watson in the 2010 T20 World Cup to becoming a go-to player in what has been a memorable Champions Trophy win for India, Jadeja’s has been a rather turbulent tale. It’s not a career path one would choose if given an option, yet it stands out as an example to follow.

If Kohli’s and Yuvraj’s have been the success stories built on their U-19 World Cup triumphs, in Jadeja we saw how a player could be easily ignored from the very same expansive stage. And let’s face it – he wasn’t a specialist that India has always been so keen to pick up from the U-19 pool. In Jaddu, all they were looking at was him as a bit-part player who wouldn’t fit in the dynamics of an international side.

Jadeja (R) had a different path to follow than Kohli or Yuvraj after U19 success

Yet, Jadeja wasn’t the one to lose hope without going for another shot at the blue jersey. He toiled hard in the IPL and impressed everyone by his intent to combat the most difficult phases of the game. Moreover, in the Ranji circuit, his ability to dart the balls with unerring accuracy for as many as 70 overs in an innings and some defiant display of middle-order batting wouldn’t have ever gone unnoticed.

He had his limitations as a cricketer and he understood that before anyone else would have had to point it to him. He may have not been as flamboyant as some of his other U-19 teammates, yet none would have that hunger to improve every day out on the field.

However, when the opportunity came knocking on the door with a ticket to the Carribean for the T20 World Cup, one could see that it was still one step too far for Jadeja. Then in 2010, he was standing on a defining crossroad of his career where one big mistake could ruin what was his second chance to break into the international side. And it turned out to be worse than what anyone could’ve expected.

He came on to bowl the 4th over against an in-form Watson who smashed him for 3 consecutive sixes off the last 3 balls of the over. He then returned to bowl the 10th, only to be hit for 3 sixes again by Warner off the first three balls. A tour that Jadeja banked on to make an impact was suddenly that one tournament he was to be held responsible for India’s ousting for the rest of his career.

Was it one of those rare occasions of stage-fright in the game? Or was it just a bizarre set of events with Jadeja being the unfortunate focal point of them all? We may never be able to decipher that. Yet, if there was one player who could be crucified by a rather lunatic quadrant of our country’s media for the side’s ousting from the tourney, it was poor Ravindra Jadeja.