Not many Indian cricketers have voiced a bold and beautiful (to Calcutta’s ears, at least) opinion about the contentious “should Sourav replace Rahul as Team India skipper” question. But he’s done just that. Not many Indian cricketers have been seen gyrating to rumba and salsa moves on a celebrity dance show. But he’s done just that. Not many Indian cricketers have made their mark as style icons for GenX. But he’s done just that. Ajay Jadeja (in picture) is truly a man of colourful contrasts.

GoodLife got up close and personal with Jadeja, in town leading Rajasthan in the Ranji Trophy match against Bengal at Eden Gardens.

Cool dude: He manages to look cool and casual every single moment on the field. And off it, he is all dimpled charm, always having fun.

“That’s my style. Be it playing cricket, dancing on television shows or playing with my kid, I am completely into everything I do. Whatever be the job, I enjoy myself thoroughly,” he says.

The ‘casual on field’ tag is flicked away firmly. “Casual? I may look casual, but I have led the Indian team, played for the country…. I cherish those days of being in the national squad.” No mention of the exit under a cloud, of course.

Vote for Dada: Jadeja is all praise for the prince of Calcutta. “Sourav has the ability. In the last few matches, Team India had not been up to the mark and Dada grabbed the opportunity with both hands. He has not looked back since then. Full marks to him.”

So, is Sourav Ganguly the right choice to captain the World Cup team? Straight comes the drive: “Sourav has the capability. The way he handles the boys on the field… He is one of the best skippers I have seen.”

Calcutta calling: The Rajasthan captain is comfortable in the city with an “emotional set of cricket lovers; fans who back Team India wholeheartedly”. His only regret: “Eden (Gardens) is always special. But I wish I was playing in a packed stadium. When thousands of supporters cheer you on, you feel special.”

Dance dance: “Ajay, haath abhi bhi teapot ho rahe hain…” choreographer Farah Khan, one of the judges in Sony’s Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa Dancing With The Stars contest would often observe, but there was no putting this contestant down. As his farewell gift, Jadeja had even gifted Farah a teapot!

The flamboyant cricketer recounts his dancing days on the small screen with a smile. “We cricketers are like horses with blinkers. Jhalak helped me realise there is another world other than cricket… that competitive spirit prevails in every field. And I was ready to compete. I might not be a great dancer, but the experience while it lasted was fantastic.”

Let ’em say: Be it on the cricket field or the dance floor, Jadeja deals with criticism the way he dealt with spinners at the crease. “If you cannot take criticism, you will never improve. It is a way of learning,” he reasons.

Politics peek: The playboy cricketer hails from a political family and has married into a political family (Aditi, daughter of former Samata Party president Jaya Jaitley). But politics is something that Jadeja wants to “give a miss in this lifetime”.

His choice: When questioned about his favourite screen belles, he presented a diplomatic dead bat: “all”. But ask him about the hot picks from the Indian cricket team, and the list is long. “Dhoni (Mahendra Singh Dhoni) has a character of his own, Yuvi (Yuvraj Singh) has a different look, Zaheer (Khan) is the rough and tough man…”

Tinsel town: After a brief brush with Bollywood (Khel), Jadeja has no immediate big-screen plans. “I took to films at a point of time when I was doing nothing. As of now, cricket is keeping me busy. If something really interesting comes up in future, who knows, maybe…”