The daddy hundreds Jagadeesan scored last season, generated interest from chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar who flew to Chennai to watch TN’s match against Karnataka. (File)
Among wicketkeepers, N Jagadeesan may not be high in the pecking order. In Dhruv Jurel and Ishan Kishan, India have other glovesmen waiting in the wings. Having scored a double century and a triple century last Ranji season, Jagadeesan began the new season with a commanding hundred against Saurashtra at his home ground as Tamil Nadu ended Day 2 at 278/3, with a lead of 75 in their bag.
Batting at the SNR College grounds in Coimbatore has been his daily routine ever since he took up formal coaching. On a gloomy Saturday morning, he took total command of the situation, slamming his third hundred in five Ranji games at his home ground with all three coming this year.
“When I was 10, I started my career over here at the same ground. It was a matting pitch back then. But today, it was totally different. We usually get a bit of a turning track here, but this one seamed all day. But then, I’m just used to this ground. Since my childhood, I have spent a lot of time here. For a lot of the boys Chepauk feels special, and for me I get the same feeling here,” Jagadeesan said.
This was an innings that should give confidence to not just Jagadeesan but to the rest of the batting unit ahead of their away games. On a seaming deck, against a quality attack led by Jaydev Unadkat, the opener combined with B Sai Sudharsan to put 172 runs for the first wicket that put Saurashtra to the submission. Courtesy his 100 and 82 from Sai Sudharsan Tamil Nadu will be looking to bat once and for big and eye their third straight win over Saurashtra.
With the conditions aiding movement, TN had to be proactive and they did so as Sai Sudharsan began the day with a boundary to show their intent and set the ball rolling.
Jagadeesan then began with a flurry of cover drives that carpeted to the fence as Unadkat and Navneen Vora hardly troubled them. And more than the boundaries what hurt Saurashtra the most was the duo’s running between the wickets. In the 172-run stand, they had 58 singles, two doubles and five threes as they seldom allowed Saurashtra attack to settle into a line.
“Over the past two years when me and Sai Sudarshan bat, we’ve always focused a lot on running between the wickets. Especially us being a right -left combination, we feel if we keep changing our strikes, it’s going to put the bowler off as well. Even as a team we are running really hard between the wickets. We feel it is a game changer,” Jagadeesan said.
Just half an hour into the play on the second morning, it was beginning to make a difference. One hour into play and shoulders drooping, Unadkat had to look at other options, Saurashtra would bring out their synchronized claps. And Jagadeesan and Sai Sudharsan would respond by stealing runs. At one point they went for their third run, when the fielder lobbed a high throw from mid-wicket.
In the past Jagadeesan has struggled to find balance between his attacking instincts and to play long. It has seen him go into a shell at times and curbing his instincts. His double century against Railways last year was a clear case in point. But on Saturday, with Saurashtra attacking with the new ball, there were runs for the taking and it was only after they resorted to bowling wide of off-stump that he took the foot off the pedal.
“It was just about just watching the ball closely and reacting to the ball. And that is what I was doing. And after that, it was a test of patience because, you know, they started bowling a bit outside off-stump. And when the spinners came in we felt if there is an opportunity — we have a slightly more attacking instinct – we would go for it,” Jagadeesan said.
The daddy hundreds he scored last season, generated interest from chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar who flew to Chennai to watch TN’s match against Karnataka. This season he was included in the Duleep Trophy and this century is a further validation of how far his batting has improved. “Truth to be told, I am not looking forward to anything because it’s just about playing ball by ball and following my process. In terms of improvement, there isn’t a day where you don’t get better,” he said.
Handed vice-captaincy, with Sai Kishore expected to link up with India’s Emerging team for the Asia Cup, there is a strong chance that Jagadeesan could lead TN in their next couple of rounds. And this century was the ideal booster shot he needed.
