WTC Final: "No one knew Jaddu will reach till here" - Aakash Chopra on Ravindra Jadeja's evolution since the 2008 U-19 World Cup

Aakash Chopra has expressed pleasant surprise at the heights attained by Ravindra Jadeja after an inauspicious start to his cricketing career post the 2008 under-19 World Cup.

Ravindra Jadeja was an integral member of the Indian team that won the 2008 under-19 World Cup under Virat Kohli's leadership. The spin-bowling all-rounder will hope to win a maiden senior-level global title under the same skipper when India takes on New Zealand in the World Test Championship (WTC) final on June 18.

While reflecting on Ravindra Jadeja's career path in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra highlighted that he had to face the ignominy of being banned from the IPL early in his career.

"Sir Ravindra Jadeja, no one knew Jaddu will reach till here. In fact, he had a very low point, he was banned from the IPL. This was in 2010 as he was negotiating a contract outside the laws of the IPL at that point in time."

The former India cricketer pointed out that Ravindra Jadeja was not in the national team's scheme of things in limited-overs cricket for quite a while since Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav were preferred. The left-arm spinner also had to miss out on overseas Tests as Ravichandran Ashwin was picked ahead of him.

"Later on he was not getting picked in ODIs and T20Is as well when Kulcha were playing and he used to be behind Ashwin in Tests. So overall the career used to move and then stop, sometimes due to a ban and performance at other times. It took time for Jaddu's true colors to come out."

Ravindra Jadeja was sidelined from the Indian white-ball team after an indifferent run in the 2017 Champions Trophy. He staged a grand comeback to the Indian limited-overs side with an enterprising knock in the 2019 World Cup semi-final against New Zealand.

His team might have fallen to defeat, but how good was Ravindra Jadeja today?His 77 off 59 balls was the second highest score by a No. 8 in World Cup history, and almost helped India pull off an incredible comeback win 💪#CWC19 | #TeamIndia | #INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/jf15TJNONF

— ICC (@ICC) July 10, 2019

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Aakash Chopra on the turning point in Ravindra Jadeja's career

Ravindra Jadeja has improved his batting by leaps and bounds

Aakash Chopra picked Ravindra Jadeja's unbeaten 86-run knock in the 2018 Oval Test as the turning point of his career.

"But to come back from that, the journey has been absolutely outstanding. The turning point of his career was the fifth Test against England in 2018 where he scored an unbeaten 86. He got confidence after that and has not looked back ever since."

Jadeja plays the all-rounder role with elan: With a four-fer and an unbeaten 86 in the first innings at The Oval, Jadeja shows what India have missed from the crucial role pic.twitter.com/9i1KP9diLe

— Geo Sports (@GeoSports_24) September 9, 2018

The reputed commentator signed off by stating that Ravindra Jadeja has delivered the goods in all formats of the game and that his all-round skills have come to the fore.

"Wherever he goes, he scores runs and takes wickets. He has been a match-winner and is doing everything you have asked him to do, whether you talk about ODIs, T20Is or Tests. His batting has improved and fielding is absolutely outstanding."

Ravindra Jadeja is a pivotal member of the Indian team in all formats of the game. He will hope to come up with a match-defining contribution and help India win the inaugural ICC World Test Championship.