SHARJAH, APRIL 12: On Sunday, it seemed a different Indian team was on the field against England in the Coca Cola Cup. There was an extra zip in each step; each member seemed to go that extra yard to stop fours. Overall, there was an element of aggression seldom seen in Indians in recent times.So, how did this sudden change in attitude come about? Fear of elimination? Or was it the Indian team's consultant Bobby Simpson's pep talk after the crippling loss to Pakistan in the first game? Or the Ajay Jadeja brand of leadership?It was probably a mix of everything. But one aspect, which stood out most strikingly, was the way stand-in skipper Jadeja marshalled the side in the absence of the injured Mohammed Azharuddin. Even without being the captain, the ever-smiling Jadeja is the ultimate team man: encouraging the bowlers and fielders.``I enjoy leading the Indian side, especially if I can contribute to the team's victory,'' said Jadeja, after bowling the side to a 20-run win over England in thefirst-round league encounter. And yet, he was careful in letting things go out of hand, as he re-iterated again and again that he was only standing in for Azharuddin who would soon be back.Former national coach and Dronacharya Award winner Gurcharan Singh never tires of praising him. ``He always wanted to be the best even when he was in school and a trainee at the National Stadium in Delhi. Even after all the other boys had left after nets, he would stay back to correct his batting technique or worked hard on his fielding. Always agile and fast in his movements, even in school (Sardar Patel Vidyalaya in New Delhi) he looked far superior to his colleagues.''His desire to be different and a willingness to take chances was evident when Jadeja took it upon himself to bowl the 47th over with England just 27 runs away from their target.``It was a gamble. Before that over, Kumble and I discussed the situation. Kumble wanted to bowl that over. I thought why not take a chance. Well, it clicked beyond myexpectations. I thought I may take a wicket and slow down the game. But three wickets. it was a dream,'' admitted Jadeja, who had last taken a wicket for India two and-a-half years ago.Jadeja first learnt the intricacies of leading a national team when he captained India A to Kenya a few years ago.He feels playing under Kapil Dev for Haryana helped him become an aggressive cricketer. ``Watching Kapil paaji on the field was a revelation. You could learn so much from him, not only batting and bowling, but the way the game should be played. He never had one set of plans or tactics for a particular opposition. He would act according to the situation. That was the great thing about him,'' says Jadeja about Kapil, who was instrumental in taking Jadeja under his fold in the Haryana team when the youngster had the option of playing for Delhi, where he was studying.Here, the toe injury to Azharuddin came as a boon in disguise for Jadeja. It let him reveal his leadership qualities in no uncertainmeasure, especially when under pressure. The absence of Sachin Tendulkar and frequent losses to Pakistan in the last couple of months had shattered the confidence of the Indians. So, the twin wins over England under Jadeja's leadership come as a big boost on the eve of the World Cup in England.
