Will always try to make India proud: Jadeja

Kingston (Jamaica), Aug 30 (IANS) All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, who has been conferred with the prestigious Arjuna Award, has vowed to always put his best foot forward whenever he comes to the cricket field to play for India and try to win matches for the team.

"First of all, I would like to thank the Government of India for conferring me with the Arjuna Award. I would also like to congratulate all the winners of the Award. They've performed brilliantly in their fields," said Jadeja in a video message posted on the official BCCI Twitter handle.

"I will always try to put my best foot forward whenever I play for India, will always try to win matches for the team and make the country proud," he added.

The Saurashtra all-rounder could not take part in the Award ceremony which took place on Thursday at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi as he is in the West Indies where India are currently taking part in the two-match Test series.

Jadeja is currently at the fourth spot in the ICC rankings for Test all-rounders. He struck a half-century and picked two wickets in India's 318-run victory over West Indies in the Antigua Test and during the World Cup last month, he almost carried India to the final with a flamboyant 59-ball 79 against New Zealand.

The left-hander has joined the elite list of former and current men's cricketers that include Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, and Virat Kohli among others who have been conferred with the prestigious Arjuna Award, an honour bestowed by the Indian government to recognise outstanding individual achievement in sports.