Star India player reveals how one phone call resulted in IPL comeback

The Royal Challengers Bangalore acquired India all-rounder Kedar Jadhav to its roster earlier this month to replace David Willey, who was forced to miss the previous month's game due to injury. Jadhav, a spin-bowling all-rounder who missed the 2022 season, returned to the RCB for his second spell with the team. The 38-year-old had previously played for the team in the 2016 and 2017 seasons of the IPL.

Jadhav didn't participate in the league last year, but he played regularly for his state team, Maharashtra, in domestic cricket, keeping himself in shape for a potential IPL opportunity. Eventually, he got a call from the RCB, which, according to Jadhav, surprised him just as much as the fans.

'Absolutely surprised, but a pleasant one' – Kedar Jadhav

"Absolutely surprised, but a pleasant one. I am very excited and want to thank the support staff for giving me this opportunity to join the team and make sure I give my 110 per cent," Jadhav told RCB. The head coach of the team, Sanjay Bangar, called Jadhav in the middle of the 2023 season, Jadhav later stated.

"I was doing commentary, and Sanjay Bhai called me asking what I was doing. I told him I was commentating. He inquired whether I was still practising, and I replied in the affirmative - twice a week, I replied. Bangar then asked me about my fitness, to which I said I was regular at the gym and even using it in my hotel. In short, I told him I was in good shape. He asked for a time and said he'd call me back. It was at that moment I realised that he would call me and tell me to play for RCB," Jadhav said.

"I took a break for a year, but then I realised that I was missing my passion, and when I returned to first-class cricket, I found it very easy. To be honest, it was because of the experience I had. It was the same hunger I had in the early '20s, the hunger to score big runs, and that's when I felt I can now come back and play again at all the levels, and I was prepared for it; I've always performed well," said the 38-year-old all-rounder further.