Kedar Mahadev Jadhav is an Indian cricketer who has represented India in One Day International (ODI) and Twenty20 International (T20I) cricket. A right-handed middle-order batter known for his crouched batting stance and useful right-arm off-break bowling delivered with a low slingy action, Jadhav established himself as a finisher and part-time bowling option in the Indian limited-overs side during the second half of the 2010s.
| Full name | Kedar Mahadev Jadhav |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | 26 March 1985 |
| Place of birth | Pune, Maharashtra, India |
| Batting style | Right-handed |
| Bowling style | Right-arm off-break |
| Role | Middle-order batter, part-time off-spinner |
| Domestic team | Maharashtra |
| International formats | ODI, T20I |
Jadhav was born and raised in Pune, Maharashtra, and rose through the state's age-group system before breaking into the senior Maharashtra side in domestic cricket. He plays his first-class, List A and Twenty20 domestic cricket primarily for Maharashtra, captaining the side in domestic competitions on multiple occasions.
Jadhav became one of the most prolific batters on the domestic circuit for Maharashtra in the Ranji Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. His consistent run-scoring in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and Deodhar Trophy earned him recognition at the national level. Over the course of his domestic career, he has been among Maharashtra's leading batters across formats.
Jadhav made his ODI debut for India in 2014 and his T20I debut shortly thereafter. He cemented his place in the Indian limited-overs side from 2017 onwards as a lower middle-order batter capable of finishing innings and accelerating in the death overs. His off-spin, bowled with a notably low arm action, also became a useful tactical option for India's captains, often used to break partnerships in the middle overs.
In the Indian Premier League (IPL), Jadhav has represented multiple franchises, including Delhi Daredevils, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Kochi Tuskers Kerala and Chennai Super Kings. He was part of the Chennai Super Kings squad that won the IPL title in 2018, contributing in the middle order during that season.
Jadhav is recognised for his distinctive low batting stance and ability to play strokes square of the wicket, particularly through point and midwicket. As a bowler, he releases the ball from a low, almost round-arm angle, an unusual action that has often troubled set batters in the middle overs of ODIs.
Within Indian cricket of the 2010s, Jadhav typified the value of a multi-skilled lower middle-order player who could finish innings and contribute with overs of part-time spin. He was one of several cricketers from Maharashtra to break into the national white-ball setup during this period, alongside players such as Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma.