Bridgetown. India’s experienced all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja also said goodbye to T20 international cricket on Sunday like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma after winning the World Cup. Jadeja, who is considered one of the best fielders in the world, said that he will continue playing Test and ODI.
Thirty-five-year-old Jadeja posted a picture of himself with the T20 World Cup trophy on Instagram and wrote, “I am retiring from T20 International cricket with full gratitude. Like a strong horse galloping proudly, I have always given my best to the country and will continue to do so in other formats.” Jadeja, who is fond of horse riding, said, “Winning the T20 World Cup was like a dream come true. It was the pinnacle of my T20 International cricket. Thank you for the memories, encouragement and support. Jai Hind.” Born on 6 December 1988 in Jamnagar, Gujarat, Jadeja made his T20 International debut in 2009 against Sri Lanka.
Jadeja is very fond of horse riding and he often rides his horses Kesar, Dhanraj and Ganga. He has scored 515 runs and taken 54 wickets in 74 T20 international matches. In T20, he came into the limelight with Rajasthan Royals’ historic IPL victory in 2008 when as a young all-rounder he made significant contributions with both bat and ball and also did excellent fielding in the tournament. Due to which his franchise’s late captain Shane Warne named him ‘Rockstar’.
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) bought Jadeja in 2012 for around Rs 9.8 crore, making him the most expensive player of the auction. Jadeja then won three more IPL titles with CSK. In 2023, he was named ‘Player of the Match’ when he hit a four off the last ball of the final against Gujarat Titans to win the title.
Jadeja has been a part of six T20 World Cups for India, tasting success in his final tournament. This was India’s second T20 World Cup trophy, which the country won after 17 years. Throughout his T20 International career, Jadeja has consistently provided breakthroughs for his team at crucial moments and turned the match in India’s favour. Apart from bowling, his fielding also made Jadeja one of the best all-rounders of his generation. He is known for his quick and agile reflexes and athletic skills.
His extraordinary catches, direct hits and match-changing run-outs will be part of his T20 International legacy.
Jadeja’s all-round performance came to the fore in the 2014 World T20, where his economical bowling (five wickets at an economy of 7.36) and crucial contributions down the order helped India reach the final. The retirement of Rohit, Kohli and Jadeja marks the end of an era in T20Is for India. Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Roger Binny also admitted that it would take at least two years for the team to make up for their absence.