Calling it a ‘joke’, ‘Sir’ Ravindra Jadeja says he has no problem with the prefix before his name as long as his Chennai Super Kings and India teammates are enjoying the all-rounder’s ‘knighthood’.
“I think it is a joke and we are enjoying. Nothing serious in that matter. I don’t think I am a great man. I just want to be what I am right now. I am not seriously thinking
about the title ‘Sir’ and all that. It’s okay as everybody is enjoying in the team and it’s fine,” he said.
The 24-year-old led Chennai Super Kings to a thrilling last-ball win over Royal Challengers Bagalore in the Indian Premier League yesterday.
“In the last over we needed 16, so we were thinking that whatever will be in our reach we will go for them. (M S) Dhoni had got out in the penultimate over so we thought what would happen. But (Dwayne) Bravo, (Chris) Morris and I backed
ourselves and won the game off the last ball.”
Chennai have been pulling off such close matches quite frequently, and Jadeja attributed it to the presence of quality all-rounders in the side.
“The thing is that we have got good allrounders. Bravo, (Albie) Morkel, Morris and I. There are four all-rounders so our batting is good and till number nine everybody can bat.
“We also have two genuine fast bowlers. Therefore we get advantage in the first six¿seven overs as they don’t give away much. In the middle overs, at times, our batting gets a bit slow but we are working on it. We will concentrate on singles
and doubles.”
Bucking the trend of letting R Aswhin have a go at Chris Gayle, Chennai yesterday handed over the ball to Dirk Nannes and Morris when the West Indian was at the crease.
“It was a good wicket to bat on. Earlier days the wicket used to turn a bit more but this year none of the spinners have been able to turn or beat the bat. It is dependent on the wicket. In T20 you usually get these kind of flat wickets.
“Gayle is such a batsman that he can hit any bowler in any ground for a six. Therefore, we were thinking that for him we will have a different strategy to not give him runs and take his wicket.”
Commenting on the shortlisted entries, chair of the Commonwealth Short Story Prize, BBC journalist Razia Iqbal, said, “People often assume short stories are easier to write because they’re, well, short! But it takes a particular skill to establish mood, character and tone in quick strokes, and tell a story which leaves a lasting impression.
“These stories open windows on worlds which seem familiar but, through fiction, which is tightly written, reflect those worlds, in richer and more surprising colours.”
Chair of the Commonwealth Book Prize, Godfrey Smith, said, “Our five judges did an admirable job of shortlisting from a bountiful harvest of debut novels, based on
originality, linguistic flair, depth, quality of writing and freshness of tone. A number of books boldly pushed the boundaries of form and explosively rebelled against the
conventional structures of fiction-writing, inspiring lively and passionate debates among the judges.”
Last year, Jahnavi Barua (‘Rebirth’), Rahul Bhattacharya (‘The Sly Company of People Who Care’) and C Y Gopinath (‘The Book of Answers’) were shortlisted in the Commonwealth Book Prize category.
In the shortlist for the Commonwealth Short Story Prize were Anushka Jasraj (‘Radio Story’), Poile Sengupta (‘Ammulu’) and Sreejith Sukumaran (‘Another Dull Day’).
—PTI