Ravindra Jadeja: The three-dimension superstar of Indian cricket
Ravindra Jadeja fits the perfect category of players who can be loved or hated but not ignored. There is no reason for anyone to hate him unless he is a player of the opposition. In the last decade, if there is one cricketer whose stocks have gone sky-high, it is the Gujarat all-rounder Jadeja. The one who justifies the tag of an all-rounder better than most.
All-round contribution
With the bat, with the ball, or on the field, there is no facet of the game that he does not contribute to. Much like other cricketers, there are days when he might not get to move on with the bat, but he will chip in perhaps with an economic spell with 2 wickets and a brilliant run-out. A live wire in the field, he can save his side runs by putting his body behind the ball as he stops boundaries.
Jadeja gave a perfect example of his all-round skills in the recent match against Royal Challengers Bangalore. Batting first, he smashed 62 unbeaten runs in just 28 balls which included a 37-run over against Harshal Patel. The left-arm spinner then dismissed Washington Sundar, Glenn Maxwell and AB de Villiers to record the bowling figures of 3/13. In addition, he ran out Dan Christian to make an impact with his fielding.
The difference between Ravindra Jadeja and others in the top players to earn fantasy points. pic.twitter.com/rc43jfeBuH
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) April 25, 2021
The rise through disappointments
Jadeja had a forgettable 2009 World Cup T20 when he was yet to find his feet in the international arena. His exploits in the domestic circuit were mind-boggling, where he has a massive three triple-centuries to his name, but his name became a household one through the IPL and after India’s Champions Trophy triumph in England 2013, where he won the Golden Ball for his sensational bowling performance. He was a part of the Test team that became World No. 1 under MS Dhoni’s leadership and has remained a crucial cog in the Test setup under Virat Kohli as well.
Jadeja found himself out from the limited-overs cricket teams of India during the rise of Hardik Pandya, Kuldeep Yadav, and Yuzvendra Chahal, but upon return, he showed how he can turn games single-handedly. His numbers in every format speak for his calibre. Having represented the nation in 51 Tests, he has 1954 runs at 36.19 with 15 half-centuries, while with the ball, he has 220 wickets at 24.32 with nine fifers and a solitary ten-for.
In the limited-overs circuit too, he is a force to reckon with. In 168 ODIs, Jadeja has 2411 runs and 188 wickets at an average of 32.58 and 37.36 respectively. An IPL veteran with experience of 189 matches, Jadeja has played 50 T20Is, scoring 217 runs, and taking 39 wickets at an economy of 7.1. Ravindra Jadeja is truly a superstar in every team he plays.
