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Life comes full circle: When Ravindra Jadeja announced himself in RR colours back in IPL 2008

Poulomi Chakraborty

Ravindra Jadeja in RR jersey (Source: AFP Photos)Ravindra Jadeja in RR jersey (Source: AFP Photos)

Life truly seems to have come full circle for Ravindra Jadeja. With IPL 2026 still months away and the mini-auction yet to begin, buzz around Jadeja's potential move from Chennai Super Kings to Rajasthan Royals is already stealing headlines. The switch to Royals may sound odd, but his Royals link is as old as time.

In 2008, when the Indian Premier League started its journey, young Ravindra Jadeja donned his first IPL jersey for the Rajasthan Royals. As per the recent news, destiny seems to be calling him back to where his IPL story started.

In IPL 2008, the veteran Indian all-rounder made his debut against Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals). Let's take a look back at where Sir Ravindra Jadeja started as a youngster.

Rajasthan Royals plant the seeds of Jadeja’s stardom

India's historic Under-19 World Cup in 2008 was one of the glorious chapters of Indian cricket's history, as the tournament gave some of the best talents in the world. While Virat Kohli used the tournament to announce himself on the global stage, Ravindra Jadeja quietly carved his own path, emerging as the next big sensation destined to leave a mark on world cricket.

To give those young talents a big stage to flourish, the Indian Premier League has become a golden opportunity. Since the first edition of the tournament, it has nurtured some of the young talents who ruled the cricket world later on. Ravindra Jadeja is one of them.

Fresh off his Under-19 World Cup triumph, Ravindra Jadeja was snapped up by the Rajasthan Royals for 12 lakhs. After playing the inaugural season, the franchise retained him as Jadeja represented the Rajasthan Royals even in the 2009 season.

Warne’s ‘Rockstar’ Jadeja gives fans a glimpse of his brilliance

Rewind to the very first IPL season, and the image that instantly comes to mind is Shane Warne lifting the maiden IPL trophy. In the very first season, the Royals made their mark, and Ravindra Jadeja was one of their warriors. Making his debut on April 19 against the Delhi Daredevils, Jadeja gave the cricket world its first glimpse of the brilliance that would earn him the title of Sir Ravindra Jadeja.

While batting first, the Rajasthan Royals faced an early collapse, and Ravindra Jadeja came to bat at the number 6 position. Tackling the world-class bowlers from the Daredevils' side, Jadeja showcased his class. Pushing his team towards a defendable total, he played a knock of 29 runs in 23 deliveries with two boundaries and two over-boundaries, the highest score in the Royals' lineup that day.

Even though young Jadeja didn't get a chance to roll his arms in the Royals' star-studded bowling lineup, the cricket world witnessed his spark in his first match. It's not just fans; Shane Warne gave him the nickname  'Rockstar'. From that moment, the journey of Ravindra Jadeja from promising youngster to the legendary 'Sir' truly began.

Could this be the moment Jadeja returns to his roots?

After the Rajasthan Royals faced a ban in 2009, Ravindra Jadeja moved away to the Kochi Tuskers. With that, the Rajasthan Royals missed the chance of witnessing the journey of Ravindra Jadeja to the way of being great. But his career reached new heights after he joined the Chennai Super Kings.

Donning the yellow jersey, Jadeja became one of the main forces of CSK, order. With both bat and ball, he shaped himself into one of the best all-rounders of the generations. 

While news of a potential move away may break fans' hearts, the Rajasthan Royals now have a golden chance to welcome back a prodigy who left as a youngster and is likely to return as a modern-day legend ready to shine in his roots.