A career which seemed to be on the road towards greatness was cut short when Ajay Jadeja was banned from all forms of the game for a period of 5 years for match-fixing in early 2000. The ban was later quashed by the Delhi High Court on 27 January 2003, making Jadeja eligible to play domestic and international cricket but Jadeja failed to add anything more to his 15 Tests and 196 ODI matches international career.

Born to a royal family, Jadeja first steps in International cricket was during the 1992 Benson and Hedges World Cup. A stunning catch to get rid of Allan Border signaled the entry of a dynamic cricketer who could lift the mood of the team with his mannerism on and off the field. Despite being a proficient player in the shorter format of the game, Jadeja struggled to assert himself in the longer formats as his modest record in Test cricket shows.

One of the best fielders in the Indian team, Jadeja showed his class in the ODIs. He is particularly remembered for his innings in the quarter finals of the 1996 WC against arch-rivals, Pakistan. The match was well poised before Jadeja launched a blitzkrieg against a shell shocked Waqar Younis. Jadeja’s cameo of 45 off just 25 balls was the icing on the cake and set India firmly on their way to the semi-finals.

Jadeja had served as the vice captain of the Indian team and had all the qualities in him to be a leader of the national side. Things though turned Topsy-turvy as he was one amongst those named in a CBI report against match fixing. The proof was never to be found, but the BCCI imposed a 5-year ban from all formats of the game. Jadeja went on an appeal and the ban was quashed by the Delhi High Court and Jadeja was eligible to play domestic and international cricket. The damage was done though, and Jadeja never came close to wearing the India cap again.

Jadeja came back to competitive cricket and captained Rajasthan in the domestic circles. He also found a glamorous profession in television and went on to act in a handful of films. Jadeja is now an expert analyst on the game and hogs the limelight as one of the saner voices of the game.

By Pradeep Krishnamurthy