Ravindra Jadeja dislikes being referred to by the title “Sir Jadeja“. He prefers people to use the affectionate nickname, “Bapu”, which is given to him and others in his community. He said, “When people address me, they should use my name. That is enough. I detest the title ‘Sir’. If you must call me ‘Bapu’, that is what I prefer. The ‘Sir-Var’ thing doesn’t appeal to me at all.”
Jadeja expressed his opinion to a newspaper during an interview a couple of years ago, when he was getting back into the team after recovering from an injury for the England tour.
Ravindra Jadeja rarely speaks to the press and has kept his distance for years. On one occasion, he rejected an interview request with a sarcastic remark: “Do you think that if you write about me, I’ll be recalled?” But in 2021, something in him changed and he opened up about his frustrations with people who don’t know the whole story and who frequently criticize him without knowing the facts.
At the Test match in Nagpur, after making a comeback from a potential career-ending injury and facing the skepticism of his detractors, Jadeja was once again triumphant. His father had advised him years ago not to rely on “appeasement” to get far in life, but instead to “perform on the field and the chatter will end there”. When he succeeded, the “baat khatam” (chatter ends) was heard with a tone of someone who had experienced many highs and lows in life and had worked out the recipe for success and prosperity.
His critics on social media, after reversing their opinions, sent folded-hands emojis in recognition of his Man-of-the-Match performance, it almost appeared as though they were begging for his forgiveness.
