Tennis ball cricket that I played as a kid has helped me with my game: Kedar Jadhav

Kedar Jadhav was in scintillating form the other day. He came into bat when Team India was struggling at 63/4 and played like there was no tomorrow. Along with the Indian skipper, he took the game away from the Brits. He scored an amazing 120 off 76 deliveries alongside Virat Kohli. They both shared a 200 plus run partnership and won the game for India.

Some of Kedar Jadhav’s strokes were absolutely brilliant and he cleared the ropes at will against both spinners and pacers. When asked about the sixes he hit, Kedar said, “As a kid, I played more tennis-ball cricket than with the cricket ball. There used to be a tournament where you could hit fours and sixes only straight down the ground. If you hit on the sides you were given out. So that’s how I got into this habit that even if there is bounce, if the ball is at a manageable height and if I feel I can clear 30 yards, I can do it.”

“The other day, I was in full flow and was able to pull off those strokes. I thought if there isn’t much bounce and if I can get a bit of elevation, I can hit out. From the batsman’s mindset, you see the opportunity of scoring big as more fielders are inside the circle and at attacking positions,” he further added.

The 31-year-old first rose to fame when he scored a triple century in a Ranji Trophy game against Uttar Pradesh at the same venue MCA Stadium Pune in 2012. He hasn’t looked back since, scoring over a 1000 runs in the next season and taking Maharashtra to a Ranji final; this performance was coming.

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After a good start to the series, he wants to perform even better. He is trying to not get carried away and said “Honestly, I want to stay grounded. But that is where my family helps because they know I don’t like to talk about what has happened. I try to stay in the present.”

This performance has surely cemented his place in the Indian team but this attitude and his approach will help him become a better player.

Written by Unmesh Phule