Ravindra Jadeja has become India’s go-to man in all the formats. The left-arm spinner has not looked back since the breakthrough year four years ago when he was recalled into the Test team for the Border-Gavaskar series in 2013.

Jadeja justified the immense faith shown in him by picking up 24 wickets in the 4-0 series win over the Aussies before sealing his stature as India’s premier left-arm spinner by playing an integral part in India’s victorious Champions Trophy 2013 campaign, finishing the tournament as its highest wicket-taker.

In the last home season, he once again proved his worth with his all-round show, as India won 10 of the 13 Tests. Not surprisingly, Jadeja has become one of the most sought after cricketers in the world right now and is living a lavish life. But amidst the glitz and lavishness of his current life, one seems to have forgotten the days when a young Jadeja’s struggling days.

Jadeja, whose father was a watchman for a private security agency and mother died when he just 17, has revealed how he struggled to play the game in Jamnagar before making it big.

“It is very tough to play for India, especially considering where I come from. Jamnagar is a small city but cricketers have come from there before also,” Jadeja said.

“When I started cricket, we didn’t have good facilities in Jamnagar so I had to arrange everything myself if I had to play a match on Saturday or Sunday. I used to prepare the wicket myself and then try to arrange for the money to purchase the cricket balls for the match,” he recalled.

The adversities did not bog him down but instead motivated him even more to realise his dream of donning the famous blue jersey.

“Those things motivate me a lot even now. My aim since the start was that I wanted to play in the blue jersey. I always wanted to play for India and when I used to see the team playing in blue, I also felt that I should be a part of the team and play for India,” he said.

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