Ravindra Jadeja was already an U-19 World Cup champion when he joined the Rajasthan Royals⭕ camp in the first edition of IPL back in 2008 but it was Shane Warne’s belief in the youngster’s ability that made him an instant hit among fans.
🌌Royals won the first IPL and Jadeja did play his part, albeit as a finisher, slogging his way into Warne’s good books and was named ‘The Rockstar’.
As the world mourned the shocking death🦋 of 52-year-old Warne in Thailand’s Koh Samui, Jadeja, it seemed, is still trying to fathom the reality of the tragedy that has hit millions of cricket fans hard.
ܫ“It was a shocking news. The moment I heard it, I was so sad and I wasn’t feeling well. I found it difficult to believe that this can be true,” Jadeja said when asked about his time spent with Warne.
ꦰWhen he first met Warne, it was more like a kid in a candy store and meeting a childhood hero.
🌸“When I first met him in 2008, he was already a legend and I couldn’t believe that I would be playing alongside a player of Shane Warne’s stature," said Jadeja after the second day's play in the first Test against Sri Lanka.
𝕴"We were just coming out of our U-19s and to share the dressing room with Warne was a huge thing for youngsters like us. He gave me a huge platform and post U-19, it was a direct entry into the IPL,” said Jadeja, expressing his gratitude.
Warne’s death shows the fickle nature of life.
♋“His death shows that there are no certainties in life. Anything can happen anytime and this kind of news suddenly shocks you to 'what the hell is happening?' I want to pray to Almighty that his soul rests in peace,” Jadeja said.
