'Mr Half-Centurion'

Kedar Jadhav gave consistency a new lift, holding the record for scoring most fifties in this season Ranji Trophy Super League so far

Suhrid Barua, Pune Mirror, December 14, 2008

When a batsman is in the middle of a great run, he can at times rewrite or hold records without being actually aware of it. That's the precisely the case with Maharashtra's Ranji run-machine Kedar Jadhav. The 23-year-old strokemaker holds the record for being the batsman with the highest number of half-centuries (he has six fifties to his name) in this season's Ranji Trophy Super League.And one is not overly surprised to learn that the man in question isn't in the know about it. "I didn't knew it until you told me. I do realise that I'm getting quite a number of half-centuries but never thought I'm the top scorer of fifties," the youngster professes his ignorance.Six half-centuries in seven innings speak a lot about his consistency.

It was the proverbial 'law of averages' that caught up with Jadhav in the second innings of the Baroda game when he fell cheaply for the first time (he made 4) in State's Ranji Trophy campaign.So, what has been the secret of his consistency mantra? "Play every ball on merit," quips Jadhav. "I've always tried to give every ball the deserving treatment. If the first ball I face is a half-volley, I am going to clobber it to the fence. To me, it doesn't matter what reputation the bowler has," he says with a new-found self-belief.No doubt, the State Ranji batting unit has failed to come 'together' in the four games so far when the team has required, making our chances of qualifying for the quarterfinals almost next to impossible.

But there has been one man, Kedar Jadhav, who has stood tall throughout. How much happiness does Jadhav derives when he is firing with the willow but his side is not doing well? "Personally, I'm happy with the way I've shaped up this season. But to perform for a team when it is winning is entirely different. In the two remaining games we have, I want to contribute significantly and help my team win," gushes Jadhav talking like the near-perfect team man.

For the top-order batsman, disappointment is laced with happiness and Jadhav knows it why? "I've twice got into the nineties but not being able to convert them into hundreds. The next time, I get close to a hundred, I will make sure I translate that into a big hundred," a confidence-personified Jadhav fired a parting shot.