PUNE, MARCH 31: Ajay Jadeja loves the good things of life. And the debonair makes no bones about it. The eternal smile on his boyish looks and the sense of joie de vivre in all he does makes him a smashing hit with the teenyboppers. That he is blue-blooded and a descendent of legends like Ranji and Duleep only adds to his box-office appeal.But behind the happy-go-lucky guy is a thinking cricketer - a quality `victimised' by the more popular public perception of his personality. Jadeja gave an extensive range of his skills at the Nehru Stadium yesterday - first as a batsman who had the ability to turn a match around, and as an inspiring leader.The Indians were under pressure in the penultimate league match of the Pepsi Triangular after a humiliating loss the in the previous game. Adding to the mounting woes, the team had lost stalwarts Sachin Tendulkar and Mohammed Azharuddin forcing them to play to debutants. Lanka, on the other hand, were coming into the match with a famous win over Pakistanand boosted further by the return of Chaminda Vaas.But the Indian team looked refreshingly different today. They looked relaxed, even under pressure. And nobody exemplified that temperament better than Jadeja himself - never one to get ruffled. It's an asset which has helped him turn the tables on the opponents, as he showed so effectively today.India found themselves in a situation in which they have often pressed the panic buttons in the past. But Jadeja's presence in the middle injected a welcome sense of self-belief in the ranks. And he led from the front with innings that had two brilliant shades - a defensive phase that was as pure as white and later an explosive burst of colourful shots.Jadeja lost no time in making known himself as a pro-active captain. He had a mind of his own, evident from the fielding and bowling changes that were different from what one has come to accept under Azharuddin. And one bowler who must have come with loads of confidence was Robin Singh (sr), who bowled 10overs and looked like a frontline bowler after a long, long time.Though Jadeja is only stop-gap captain, it did not inhibit him or affect his involvement in his job. Nor did he go to the other extreme of making a show and dance about his new-found status. He looked every inch of a man in command, but who one did not shy away from seeking the inputs of his colleagues. And help was freely coming from all quarters.As Indian coach Anshuman Gaekwad noted: ``Ajay's talking kept the team going.''Chandu Borde, the former India skipper, was fulsome in his praise: ``Ajay was very encouraging to the players. Even when the players erred, he did not get upset. His biggest strength is he does not get hyper. He is calm and relaxed and has the ability to take things as they come. The players looked upto him and this is something that the excellent interaction with them is because of his healthy relationship built over a period of time. He also showed good tactical sense with his bowling changes.''Borde'ssummation was just perfect.
