'Take care of him, he's our boy': Jadeja recalls first meeting with PM Modi

New Delhi, Sep 16 (IANS) India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja recalled his first meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2010 when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat.

According to Jadeja, it was a brief first interaction with the leader just before a cricket match against South Africa in Ahmedabad. Sharing the anecdote of the meeting, the 36-year-old said Modi told then captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni to take extra care of him as he is from his state.

"I first met Modi ji in 2010, when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat. We had a match against South Africa in Ahmedabad, and the teams were lined up on the field for introductions just before the game began," Jadeja said in a video shared by him on X.

"Modi ji arrived and shook hands with all the players. That was the first time I met him. Mahendra Singh Dhoni, our captain at the time, introduced me to him. Modi ji smiled and said to Dhoni, 'Take care of him... he’s our boy.'

"That simple line coming from someone in his position, especially in front of my team, made me feel incredibly proud and happy. It reflected warmth and the genuine personal care he extends to everyone he meets. It’s a moment I’ve never forgotten," he added.

Jadeja was last seen in the five-match Test series against England in June-July. He contributed 516 runs, including a century and five half-centuries. He finished as the fourth-highest run-scorer in the series that ended 2-2. The all-rounder also bagged seven wickets in the series.

The senior player was also part of the Champions Trophy campaign that India won in Dubai earlier this year. He announced his T20I retirement after the T20 World Cup triumph in Barbados last year.

--IANS

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