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Ravindra Jadeja approached Rajasthan Royals ownership to prompt return ‘home’ in blockbuster trade: ‘Jaddu reached out…’
RR owner Manoj Badale revealed it was Jadeja who initiated the conversation of the all-rounder returning to RR.
IPL 2026 will have its foundation set by arguably the most high-profile trade in the history of the tournament, as Sanju Samson swaps to a yellow jersey and Ravindra Jadeja goes the other way from Chennai Super Kings to Rajasthan Royals.
Jadeja has been one of the most successful players in the history of the IPL, and joins the team where it all began for him. Famously taken under Shane Warne’s wing when RR won the inaugural season of the IPL, Jadeja returns as a veteran to try and end the Jaipur based team’s long drought.
Described by Jadeja in a social media post as coming ‘home’, RR owner Manoj Badale revealed that the trade was spurred on by Jadeja himself after the all-rounder got in contact with him for a move back to the Sawai Mansingh Stadium.
“Actually Jaddu reached out to me about 4 weeks ago, the middle of October, to say that he was really excited about the potential to come home,” explained Badale in a video shared to RR’s social media channels.
“As he described it, where he started his IPL career and in fact his cricket career, and his visibility to the whole of India,” remarked the owner. Jadeja has turned into one of India’s greatest all-rounders, with over 3200 runs and 170 wickets in the IPL, but it all started as he played regularly for RR in 2008.
“Over the last few weeks we’ve had quite a few exchanges. The last time I saw him he was 21, and it’s been fascinating getting to know him, getting to know the older version of Ravi Jadeja,” reflected Badale, reminiscing about Jadeja’s start at the franchise before his switch to CSK yellow.
However, Badale did point out that it was a switch that was beneficial to RR given another player joins their ranks from CSK. With English all-rounder Sam Curran joining the team, Badale argued it was almost as if they were filling ‘3 or 4’ different areas of need.
“I want to be clear, it wasn’t a trade for Jadeja, it was a trade for Jadeja and Sam Curran… it was the combination of the two and how the two of them fill 3 or 4 slots we’re trying to fill,” stated Badale.
