OPINION
Follow Us1000 International wickets, plenty of memories, including note-worthy dismissals of Mike Gatting, Andrew Straus and Herschelle Gibbs in various formats, definitely define Shane Warne, the cricketer.
But nothing defines him better than the way he saw the game, the way he spotted a talent that a lot of us could only in the hindsight.
Back in 2008, a 38-year-old Shane Warne played an instrumental role in Rajasthan Royal’s win. There were his 19 wickets, there was his captaincy, there was the fact that he still had a power at the age of 38, in a format that was new.
As hindsight plays it to perfection, Warne not just played an instrumental role in Royal’s win but eventually also put a steady hand in India’s progression. He not just trusted an 18-year-old Ravindra Jadeja but he called him a ‘Rockstar’. 14 years later, all of this comes around like a circle.
“Then I didn’t know what rockstar meant. When I met Shane Warne for the first time, I didn’t know he was such a great bowler in Test cricket. He used to call me ‘rockstar’, and I used to wonder that I don’t sing any songs, nor do I do anything that I deserved to be called a Rockstar,” recalled Jadeja later in 2017.
On Friday, the cricketing world was shocked by the sudden demise of the 52-year-old Warne. His protégé, Jadeja was still unbeaten on 45. The very next day, Jadeja did not just play a knock and half, he looked exactly like what Warne had described him, a Rockstar.
A Rockstar of a kind that India had always wanted and hoped that he would eventually turn into. Jadeja was no more in the eyes of the Indian fans, at least – a certain section of them, a bowling all-rounder. He was an all-rounder and a half, a player that was quickly becoming an integral part of the plans for Rohit Sharma across formats.
*****************
While on Friday, batting alongside Rishabh Pant, Jadeja might have looked playing a supporting act, on Saturday, he donned the hat of the protagonist, with an intention of making the greatest cricketing artist – Warne – proud.
Between Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin, there was a connection, one that might not be seemingly visible to the ones watching the game. The connection was perhaps one that was built on years of trust, primarily with the ball and later now, with the bat. With only minimal words exchanged between the two, the partnership kept India’s scoring rate ticking, soaring.
When Jadeja took the odd risk, the 35-year-old at the other end, played it down. And when Ashwin was striking the ball so sweetly, Jadeja made the non-striker’s end his home, with a perfect view. While the partnership at first, was a real opportunity for Sri Lanka to strike back, it grew them tired as the partnership started building in stature.
But it was really when Jadeja reached his fifty that we first saw a glimpse of the emotion. After completing his trademark sword celebration, the 33-year-old looked up in the sky, almost searching exclusively for Warne, in an attempt to thank him.
It is not imperative to say that the Australian leg-spinner was the sole reason for Jadeja, for the talent was always going to make the heads notice. But what Warne gave the all-rounder was a foothold amongst cricketing brains. It is what is called a Warne’s touch.
*****************
Like Midas, this touch put Jadeja on the pedestal and pressure often companied such luxuries. On the second day of the Test, Jadeja proved why the luxury exists in the first place, showing the world what Warne had seen in him, a potential that now has turned into a jewel – India’s crowned one.
First, he stitched up a 100-run partnership with Pant, later with Ashwin and to top it off, he completed his third century-run partnership with Shami. Barring the one phase, the 101-150 run phase, every phase of batting from the southpaw had a control percentage of well above 90.
While Ashwin was present till the southpaw was inching towards the 100 mark, it was Jayant Yadav who saw the emotion emerge out of Jadeja once he brought up the three-figure mark. Usually not the most expressive person, Jadeja’s celebration was always followed with a look at the sky. He did it when he reached 50, did it when he reached 100 and also repeated it during the 150, going past his highest Test score.
He not only registered his highest score in Test cricket, it was a record score for an Indian batter batting at seven or lower, surpassing the legendary Kapil Dev.
A Warne stamp of approval in 2008 gave an IPL title to the Royals and later, it gave India a jewel that would go on to storm world cricket.
