'I have told Mahi bhai as well...': Ravindra Jadeja's stunning 'start of cricketing journey' statement on MS Dhoni
Ravindra Jadeja has been integral thus far for CSK this season with bat, ball and in the field.
Ravindra Jadeja has emerged in the last few years as one of the greatest all-rounders India has ever produced across formats. While he remains one of the most potent spinners regardless of the format in the world, Jadeja's fielding and his seemingly ever-improving batting prowess has made him one of the first names in India's playing eleven.
The same goes for his Indian Premier League (IPL) side Chennai Super Kings (CSK), for whom Jadeja is currently plying his trade in the 2023 season. There was a lot of speculation as to whether Jadeja will continue with CSK this season considering his captaincy debacle last season and the way the role was taken away from season and given back to CSK's legendary captain MS Dhoni. It was under Dhoni that Jadeja started his India career as well and reports indicate that lengthy chats with him before the start of the season is what made Jadeja happy again to play for the four-time champions.
Jadeja has said now that Dhoni was not the first “Mahendra” or "MS" in his cricketing journey. That was Mahendra Singh Chauhan, the Jamnagar based cricket coach who was Jadeja's childhood mentor. “I have told Mahi bhai this as well that, meri cricket ki journey Mahendra Singh Chouhan aur Mahendra Singh Dhoni ke beech me hi rahi hai. That is where my cricket journey started. I started in 1996 when I was eight years old in Jamnagar. Even now I sometimes go that ground to meet sir, practice cannot happen because there are about 300 to 400 kids there so it can become a big crowd,” said Jadeja on Star Sports.
Jadeja said that he had initially wanted to become a fast bowler, despite not having the physical attributes for it, and it was Chauhan who asked him to drop that idea. “When I started out I wanted to become a fast bowler. I used to think seeing fast bowlers sending in bouncers that I would also be able to do that but I never had the speed. My coach Mahendra Singh Chouhan, he told me that you are not tall enough or not fast enough so please don't be under any illusions. At the time I thought, yes I don't have the height that is required. Then I started bowling left arm spin,” he said.
“At the time we were not able to bat too much because the turf wicket was not good. On the other hand when the ball hits a rough and turns a lot, your interest to do that again increases. If you see that you are getting the batter out with big spin, your interest in spin bowling increases and so I started getting more interested in it. It was upto us to make and maintain the wicket and the batter himself had to roll the wickets and stuff. So I thought I don't want to do all that, I will just stand there with the ball in hand and when the wicket is ready, I will bowl,” said Jadeja.
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