On dusty tracks, the rock-star has his groove back

Ravindra Jadeja's stock has soared this season, thanks to his prolific wicket-taking in the Ranji Trophy and complementing Ashwin in the Tests against South Africa

Ravindra Jadeja’s wicket-taking spree in Saurashtra’s Ranji Trophy matches at home (Rajkot) against Tripura, Jharkhand and Hyderabad, two months ago, was the talking point then. Known to bowl with dexterity and plenty of cunning, left-arm spinner Jadeja removed 37 batsmen, with six successive five-fors, in a matter of 21 days.

It stood out like starkly, though the authorities had ordered the ground staff to keep the surface dry to benefit the home team’s spinners. Though the match referees gave scores of ‘0’ and ‘1’ for two matches, the Indian selectors were mightily pleased. Playing a mean part (24 wickets) with R. Ashwin in India’s 4-0 win over Australia in the 2013 home series was the high point of his fledgling Test career. His versatile batting and brilliant fielding gave him the edge over fellow left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha, who had hit it off with Ashwin. Ojha, the obvious choice for various series played at home between 2010 and 2013, took 83 wickets in 16 Tests. Suddenly his action came under scrutiny and Jadeja came into the picture for the tour of England.

However, after the England trip in 2014, he was dropped for the tours of Australia, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka and missed nine Tests. But the signs were clear that he would stage a comeback, after a gap of 14 months, thanks to his Ranji exploits. He took 23 wickets at 10.83 against the South Africans to complement Ashwin’s 31.

Once the Saurashtra seamers — Sandeep Jobanputra and Sandeep Maniar faded away from first class cricket — the new ball was tossed to Jadeja, who has the knack of bringing fizz to a mundane game. The departure of left arm spinner Rakesh Dhruv and the non-selection of Nayan Doshi (son of former India left arm spinner Dilip Doshi) gave more opportunities to Jadeja, who lit up proceedings along with Cheteshwar Pujara in the home matches.

Usually, the surfaces that are prepared for first class matches in October are supposed to be fresh and behave in the conventional pattern of helping seam bowlers, encourage batsmen to bring out their stroke-play and thereafter give leeway to the spinners for the match to end some time on the fourth day. But Rajkot has been unique to Indian cricket’s premier first class competition; spinners hit pay dirt from the first session and this sort of converse behaviour surprised old-timers who travelled to Rajkot believing the Race Course Ground was a bowlers’ graveyard.

One can connect Jadeja to the erstwhile princely state of Jamnagar (previously known as Nawanagar), which gave India Vinoo ‘Master’ Mankad and where the natural Salim Durani is settled now.

Jadeja came through the junior ranks from 2002 when he played a national u-14 tournament. He figured in two ICC under-19 World Cups — in 2006 (India lost to Pakistan in the final) and 2008 (as part of Virat Kohli’s champion team).

Rise to form and fame

The big moment though came in June 2013, when he was declared the Man-of-the-match in the final of the ICC Champions Trophy in England. In a match reduced to 20 overs, he made 33 not out and took two for 24.

In 2008, Jadeja was a bright spark in the Rajasthan Royals team, catching the attention of captain Shane Warne with his bold hits, clever bowling and exceptional fielding. Within a few weeks, Warne predicted that Jadeja would be the rock star of Indian cricket!

Carried away, perhaps by the lavish praise, Jadeja made moves to leave the Royals in an unethical manner for which he was banned for one IPL season before M.S. Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings took charge of him.

Jadeja has the ability to mow down opponents on an under-prepared and dry pitch. He has 68 wickets from 16 Test matches and some of the South Africans he dismissed recently were Faf du Plesssis (4 times), A.B. de Villiers and Hashim Amla (both three times).

Come 2016, Jadeja will have plenty of home Tests to consolidate his place. The rustic cricketer has staged a fine comeback.