Once mocked for struggling to get a game outside India by Steve Smith and Matthew Wade, Ravindra Jadeja is making his first Test in Australia one to remember.
Jadeja has snagged five wickets in the third Test, helping put India on the cusp of a 2-1 series lead that will ensure they retain the Border-Gavaskar trophy.
The left-arm spinner has dismissed Mitch Marsh in both innings at the MCG, extending a dominant head-to-head record that now stands at four wickets and 11 runs from 70 balls.
Jadeja was involved in a slanging match with Smith and Wade in Dharamsala during the corresponding Test series in 2017 that was picked up by stump microphones.
The allrounder was named man of the match and man of the series after that series decider, suggesting the sledging had little effect.
But his inability to fire overseas was a salient point that remains a topic of great fascination among India's fans and pundits.
Jadeja, whose heated on-field spat with teammate Ishant Sharma was one of the talking points of the second Test, would likely never have played in this series if Ravichandran Ashwin recovered from injury in time for the Boxing Day Test.
But the 30-year-old now has a golden chance to make history and help India clinch their first Test series win in Australia.
Shaun Marsh noted Australia changed their approach to Jadeja in the second dig, attempting to put the tweaker under pressure.
It didn't work.
"I wanted to be a bit more positive against him," Marsh told ABC radio.
"I probably wasn't positive in the first innings.
"We wanted to be a bit more positive, take him on a little bit.
"We just weren't quite good enough."
Jadeja, nicknamed 'Rockstar' by teammate Shane Warne during the inaugural Indian Premier League season in 2008 because of his immense confidence, removed Marcus Harris, Mitch Marsh and Tim Paine on Saturday.
India's bowling coach Bharat Arun praised Jadeja for taking his game to another level.
"He's matured a lot during the last couple of years," Arun said.
"He's gained a lot of confidence. He can be confident he can lead the spin attack."
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