On This Day: Watch Ajay Jadeja scores maiden century as ODI captain vs Sri Lanka in Pune

Ajay Jadeja scores maiden century as ODI captain: The former Indian batsman had played 13 ODIs as the captain of the Indian team.

Exactly 21 years ago, former India batsman Ajay Jadeja scored a match-winning century to propel India to 286/6 in 50 overs in the fifth match of the Pepsi Cup against Sri Lanka at the Nehru Stadium in Pune.

Coming in to bat at No. 4 in the 17th over, Jadeja battled it out till the last over before returning unbeaten on 103* (102) which also included six fours and three sixes.

Leading India for the fourth time in ODIs, Jadeja lead from the front to make sure that his team post a formidable total. The right-hand batsman played a vital role in a 125-run partnership for the fourth wicket alongside batsman Amay Khurasiya (57).

Jadeja’s innings was a combination of some exceptional running between the wickets in addition to him taking calculated risks to continuously trouble the Sri Lankan bowlers.

It was on the third delivery of the 41st over that Jadeja pulled a delivery towards the mid-wicket boundary to fetch four runs and cross the 50-run mark.

A knock, which can be classified among the most aggressive centuries of that time, saw Jadeja not shying away from hitting the aerial shots to all parts of the ground.

It was during the last moments of the Indian innings that Jadeja drove Sri Lanka pacer Chaminda Vaas through the covers to complete his century. In what his fifth ODI century overall, it was his first as the captain of the Indian team.

Chasing a 287-run target, India bundled out the opposition for 235 in the 46th over to register a comprehensive 51-run victory. With bowling figures of 8-0-35-3, India pacer Ajit Agarkar was the pick of their bowlers and was well-supported by Javagal Srinath and Robin Singh who dismissed two batsmen apiece.

Ajay Jadeja scores maiden century as ODI captain

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About the author

Dixit Bhargav

Born and brought up in Pathankot, Dixit Bhargav is an engineering and sports management graduate who works as a Cricket Editor at The SportsRush. Having written more than 10,000 articles across more than five years at TSR, his first cricketing memory dates back to 2002 when former India captain Sourav Ganguly had waved his jersey at the historic Lord’s balcony. What followed for an 8-year-old was an instant adulation for both Ganguly and the sport. The optimist in him is waiting for the day when Punjab Kings will win their maiden Indian Premier League title. When not watching cricket, he is mostly found in a cinema hall watching a Punjabi movie.

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