"He smiled and said to Dhoni...": Jadeja on his first meeting with PM Modi

New Delhi [India], September 16 (ANI): Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 75th birthday on Wednesday, India's star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja shared a story of his first meeting with him, when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat in 2010.
In a post on X, Jadeja recalled when he met PM Modi, Team India was having a match against South Africa in Ahmedabad, and Modi met players who were lined up on the field for introduction just before the match. India's then skipper MS Dhoni introduced Jadeja to PM Modi, who smiled and asked Dhoni to "take care of him".
"I first met Modi ji in 2010, when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat. We had a match against South Africa in Ahmedabad, and the teams were lined up on the field for introductions just before the game began. Modi ji arrived and shook hands with all the players. That was the first time I met him. Mahendra Singh Dhoni, our captain at the time, introduced me to him. Modi ji smiled and said to Dhoni, "Take care of him.. he's our boy." That simple line coming from someone in his position, especially in front of my team, made me feel incredibly proud and happy. It reflected warmth, and the genuine personal care he extends to everyone he meets. It is a moment I have never forgotten. #MyModiStory."

I first met Modi ji in 2010, when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat. We had a match against South Africa in Ahmedabad, and the teams were lined up on the field for introductions just before the game began.

Modi ji arrived and shook hands with all the players. That was the… pic.twitter.com/2BU7Qw0wEf

— Ravindrasinh jadeja (@imjadeja) September 16, 2025

Notably, during the recent tour of England, where India drew the Test series of five matches by 2-2 under skipper Shubman Gill, Jadeja was sensational, ending as the fourth-highest run-getter with 516 runs in 10 innings at an average of 86.00, with a best score of 107*, a century and five fifties and also took seven important wickets, bowling crucial overs. He broke several records as a middle-order batter.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is organising nationwide blood donation camps as part of the two-week-long 'Sewa Pakhwada' to celebrate the Prime Minister's birthday. The party has planned various events, including a cleanliness drive, 'ek ped maa ke naam' program, and exhibitions across the country highlighting the achievements of PM Modi. (ANI)