India, March 31 -- It was surreal to see Ravindra Jadeja play in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for a team that isn't the Chennai Super Kings. Even when he started off with the Rajasthan Royals in 2008 or switched to the Gujarat Lions in between for two years - 2016 and 2017 - it never felt odd as it did last evening, when back playing for his home team, the all-rounder squared off against his old home, Chennai Super Kings, the franchise that made him. Jadeja gave 13 years of his life to CSK, from 2012 to 2025 - barring the two seasons when they were banned - and was part of its three IPL wins in 2018, 2021 and 2023.

Hence, when Jadeja, with a new buzzcut, was bowling to CSK, the mind went numb for a moment. Then again, that's the natur...