It was in a sense so fitting that Ravindra Jadeja had one of his best individual days as a cricketer giving a tribute to his former Rajasthan Royals captain Shane Warne, who sadly passed away on Friday due to a suspected heart attack while on holiday in Thailand.
Warne had recognized Jadeja’s talent and immense potential as an all-rounder as a youngster when Jadeja was at the Royals for the first couple of seasons, of which they won the inaugural season in 2008. The Australian had given the nickname of ‘Rockstar’ to the Saurashtra cricketer.
Jadeja slammed his best Test score during the first innings against Sri Lanka in Mohali. Jadeja had remained unbeaten on 45 at the end of Day 1, carried on piling more on the Sri Lankan attack depleted by the injury to pacer Kahiru Kumara on Day 1.
He raised his fifty early in the morning off 87 balls and then his hundred – second in Tests – off 160 balls just before lunch. Then after taking India to over 450, Jadeja, conjuring century stands with R Ashwin and Mohammed Shami, played some attacking shots to reach 175 off 228 balls, his innings laced with 17 fours and 3 sixes.
Upon reaching his landmarks Jadeja had looked up in the sky, remembering Warne; his famous sword celebration was also a subdued one.
Chennai Super Kings, Jadeja’s current franchise, uploaded a lovely post on the occasion of Jadeja’s century. In the picture, while a matured, established Jadeja is kissing his helmet while celebrating his ton, in the background is Warne helping out a young Jadeja in the Rajasthan Royals colours.
A bond beyond and above ? @imjadeja pic.twitter.com/Ei92LgdtMp
— Chennai Super Kings – Mask P?du Whistle P?du! (@ChennaiIPL) March 5, 2022
After the day’s play, Ravindra Jadeja talked about Warne’s influence on him and what it meant to share a dressing room with arguably the greatest spinner.
“It was really shocking news. When I came to know about it yesterday, I was feeling very sad and I couldn’t believe that it was true,” Jadeja said.
“When I met him in 2008, he was one of the biggest names in the game. But it seemed unreal that I was going to play with such a big legend. I had just come from the U19 level and to play with him and share the dressing room with him, it was a big thing. He gave me a very big platform because after U19 I directly got to play in the IPL. I was feeling really great.
“But it is sad that there is no certainty about life. Anything can happen. It was a shocking feeling and my was reaction was like – how can this happen? May his soul rest in peace.”
