Capital gain for Jadhav

At 101/3 in the 12th over,with Virender Sehwag,David Warner and Dinesh Karthik dismissed,Jadhav played the innings of a lifetime.

Being a complete unknown to the powerful Bangalore attack helped,as Jadhav confused the best in the business with their lines and lengths,slashing anything shot and slogging everything full to perfection. Half an hour of destruction later,Delhi had posted a more-than-respectable 183 on the board,with Jadhav scoring 50 of those runs in just 29 balls.

Knock fresh in mind
More than a month after the match was played,Jadhav finds it hard to skip the smallest details of his career-changing IPL innings. “March 25 was the greatest day of my cricketing career. Everything changed for me that day. After the match Virender Sehwag,my ultimate hero,praised my batting and my concentration. I couldn’t ask for anything more,” Jadhav says,while speaking to Sportline.

It was due to Sehwag that Jadhav arrived at the Capital to try his luck with the city’s franchise in the IPL. Switching over from Bangalore to Delhi,Jadhav’s sole motivating factor was the chance of spending two months with his hero.

“Things didn’t go very well for me at Bangalore Royal Challengers in IPL II due to some personal problems. I was also given a Daredevils contract at the same time which I could not take as I had already signed for Bangalore. So when Delhi asked me to join them this season,I wasn’t going to let the opportunity of playing alongside Viru go away once again,” Jadhav adds.

Although the remaining few matches didn’t go as well as his debut,Jadhav claims he is indebted to the IPL for giving him a platform to showcase his talent.

“Everyone in Maharashtra knew that I was a good batsman as I have scored well for my state in the Ranji Trophy. But it is only after the IPL that people have taken me seriously. Selectors now believe that I have talent and going by my performances,I could soon be in for an India A spot. This couldn’t’ have happened before.”

Always a hard-hitter
The IPL may have given him the license to swing freely,but Jadhav has always been a notorious striker of the cricket ball.

“During one of the warm-up matches for the Ranji one day season,I smashed six sixes in an over and also scored 218 runs in 109 balls. I always knew I could play the big-hitting role but when the IPL televises it to a million houses,the others know too,” he says.

After ticking the checkboxes across playing with his hero and performing in the Indian Premier League Season Three,the right-handed Jadhav now hopes to cause a resurgence in his relegated state side.

“Maharashtra is a young side and we were relegated to the Plate Group in the 2009-10 Ranji season. But without experienced players such as Harshad Khadiwale and myself,the team won the domestic T20 championship,” Jadhav says.

“This only proves that in about 2-3 years time,we will be ripe to challenge the best in the country. But it is relatively easier to do well in the shorter formats,the real aim should be to perform against the red ball. This will be my goal for the upcoming season,to make a name in the four-day version and bring Maharashtra back into the Super Elite Group,” the 25-year-old from Pune said.

Going by what Sehwag told others after his debut,“anything is possible if Jadhav puts his mind to it.”