India vs. Australia: Ravindra Jadeja despises the moniker “Sir Jadeja.” He would rather that the world continue to refer to him and other members of his community in his area simply as Bapu. “Call me by my real name, please. I’ve said enough. I detest the title “Sir.” Call me Bapu if you like; that’s what I prefer. I don’t like this Sir-Var at all. Actually, when people address me as Sir, it just doesn’t register, Jadeja had said in an interview with press a few years prior, when he was rejoining the team after an injury break for the England trip.
Jadeja hardly ever agrees to interviews and is never honest. He has maintained a somewhat belligerent attitude with the media for many years. When he was not on the squad, he once declined an interview request by asking, “Do you think if you write about me, I will be recalled?” in a half-joking manner. However, on that day in 2021, just before the squad was set to board a flight for England, the “Sir” inquiry had set off a reaction in him. He continued by discussing his other pet peeves, including the anxiety he feels when people evaluate him without knowing his background or when his numerous uneducated critics continually undermine him.
He also mentioned some early guidance his father had given him. He had warned him against going too far with “chamchagiri” (appeasement). He had said, “Ground mein perform karo, bus baat khatam” (Perform on the field and the conversation ends there). The “baat khatam” had the resolute tone of a person who had experienced enough in life—slipping, falling, being written off, bouncing back, and rising again—and who had figured out the secret to enduring and thriving.
In the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at Nagpur, Jadeja once again delivered despite being back from yet another injury that could have perhaps ended his career. The “Australian batsmen” and “baat (chatter)” were “khatam.” After making perfectly timed U-turns, his detractors resumed sending emojis of folded hands on social media. They were their way of praising his Man-of-the-Match performance, but they appeared to be forgiveness requests.
Why Jadeja doesn’t receive the recognition he so richly merits or thrill that broadcaster’s batsman-obsessed, “hero-making brand-building” division is perplexing. Like his longtime bowling partner Ravichandran Ashwin, his extremely cerebral spin technique also rarely receives intellectualization. Going forward, whenever Jadeja appears on TV, the following ticker should broadcast continuously on loop to undo the harm already done: Both his batting and bowling statistics outperform those of Bishan Singh Bedi, Erapalli Prasanna, Andrew Flintoff, and BS Chandrasekhar. Jadeja’s batting average surpasses that of Ian Botham, Kapil Dev, Andrew Flintoff, and Shaun Pollock.
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His dissatisfaction with what is said and published about him could be caused by this ongoing undermining. His father’s words also played a part. My father provided me with some extremely valuable advise when I first began playing cricket. I had no idea that I would play cricket professionally at that stage, let alone represent my nation. He has previously declared, “It’s your performance on the ground that matters.
Jadeja Sr., a proud man, had warned his son against using flattery for personal advantage. “If I succeed on the field, I won’t need to do anything (to please anyone); everything will just work out naturally.” Therefore, it has been easy for me. I don’t have to go out of my way to appease them if I perform on the ground.
They say that a man is made in his time and place. The premier all-rounder for India is a native of Jamnagar, a former princely state governed by the Jadejas. The area has a broader identity thanks to cricket. The world knows him as Ranji. Maharaj Ranjitsinhji Jadeja is the great-grand uncle of the current Jam Sahib, who continues to reside in a palace surrounded by a 45-acre nature reserve in Central Jamnagar.
“Our Jadeja” is a commoner who was raised in a one-room government apartment by a nursing mother and a security guard father. However, cricket helped him bridge the wide gap. His wife, Reva Jadeja, represents the people of Jamnagar in the state Assembly. The couple also owns a sizable farmhouse with a horse stable on the outskirts of the city. Folklore in Jamnagar mentions Jadeja’s passion for horses. The sighting of him galloping across his fields, frequently without a stirrup on the saddle, is a source of pride for the locals.
Like other children in Jamnagar, Jadeja grew up hearing tales of the bravery of local monarchs and warriors. On his social media, he frequently makes reference to Ra Khengar, monarch of Sorath Chudasama in the year 12th. Folk singers continue to enthral large crowds with tales of his valour at Lok Dayras all around Saurashtra. He was a reckless ruler who survived by the sword, according to history. It will also be credited to Jadeja for introducing the sword in cricket discussions. Where Jadeja has lived his entire life, time has been moving at a sluggish crawl and caste identities still define a man. There is a logic to why Jadeja prefers the title Bapu rather than Sir.
“We speak respectfully to one another. Always, it is “Aap” or “Bapu.” That is what people around me do, and it is part of my culture. If you are from the community, you address everyone as Bapu, whether you know them or not. Respect is important, regardless of your age,” he had remarked.
The all-format all-rounder loves to be in his comfort zone when he gets a rare vacation from playing cricket. He is surrounded by people who don’t just view him as a cricket player. “Time is precious at my farm. No matter what happens to me on the cricket pitch, it’s a break from all that strain, all that thinking, all that high-intensity environment. There, I feel at ease. I get to know the farm’s carers. I have my horses over for a while. Cricket is not discussed; these people are my well-wishers. They want me to succeed at cricket, but they don’t care about what goes on in the locker room. I learn that there is life outside of cricket as well.
Jadeja has taken measures to maintain a low profile and keep out of conflicts over the years. He claims that tagging a person was the only time he intended to express something in particular. However, a forensic examination of his Twitter account provides insight into when he was disturbed. While he now tweets “happy birthday” and “congratulations” messages as other famous people do, there was a time when he made more overt references to the storm that was building inside of him.
He tweeted phrases that were attributed to the American musician Eminem back in 2013. “Dude, don’t even try to judge me. What the f*ck I’ve been through, you have no idea. For the young man from a lower middle class household, life hasn’t always been easy. Despite having a limited budget, Jadeja’s mother would always give in to his requests. He would cling to his mother instead of his sister or father if they were to correct him.
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Jadeja’s mother passed away in 2005, while he was 16 years old. The cause of death was third-degree burns following a kitchen fire. It wasn’t Jadeja at home. He intended to give up cricket when he got back. But then a single thought struck him, clearing his foggy thoughts. Why should I give up? Not after everything my mother did to raise me to be a cricket player,” he claims.
He laughed loudly as a result of being reminded of that Eminem tweet. He doesn’t back away from the position; instead, he begins to explain, and soon the conversation turns very sombre. “When I don’t perform well on a given day, they start calling me names and trolling. They make comments without understanding the kind of arduous labour I had to undertake to get here. Small, little things… there have been so many sacrifices and battles, I can’t even remember them now.
His voice has now been somewhat elevated. Computer ke saamne fukre log baithte rehte hain, meme banate rehte hain aur kuchh bhi likhte rehte hain (Those idlers sitting in front of a computer have nothing to do, so they sit and make memes and write whatever comes to their minds)… Sincerely, I don’t care about those things. I wouldn’t have progressed this far if they had. They are unaware of everything I had to through to get here. They claim that he is playing IPL and making a tonne of money. Trust me, they don’t choose you in IPL just on your appearance.
Sarcasm is another thing Jadeja uses on social media. The old haters are starting to like me less, therefore I need new ones. This was posted in January 2014. There’s more: “The truth is, you’re going to get injured by everyone. Simply find those worth suffering for.
He keeps his cool and grinned once more. It’s a Zoom call, so we’re not actually together. “I see my Twitter page is open when you’re seated. what follows? “He inquires. A different tweet is mentioned. This text is in Hindi. Time is running out, or aap log ki raai bhi, as in “Mere baare mein koi raai mat dena kyunki,” (Don’t establish an opinion of me; it will change, just like my time.)
“In general, people constantly criticise you, saying things like, “That’s all he’ll do, he won’t become better, he has limitations. They fail to grasp the obvious truth that one gets better through time. One cannot remain the same from beginning to end. I began out worse than I am now. So, I just said that you should modify your opinion of me after I improve. You will then declare, “This is the all-rounder India craved.”
Respect has been gained, opinions have changed. Now, all he is requesting is for the Sir tag to be removed.
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