What makes the legendary Kapil Dev stand out among the pantheon of the great all-rounders of all time is a stat that only he is the owner of.
The iconic former India captain is the only all-rounder or cricketer in the world who has scored over 5000 runs in Test cricket and scalped 400 plus wickets in the longest format of the sport.
The cricketer who is probably closest to Kapil's incredible record is a fellow Indian and an unassuming one at that.
The irrepressible Ravindra Jadeja has been a tireless servant of Indian cricket for over a decade or so.
With 334 wickets in Test cricket and 3990 runs in 86 Tests so far, Jadeja is not too far away from joining the landmark club occupied only by the 1983 World Cup winning Indian captain.
After a stellar performance against the beleaguered West Indies, that included a fabulous hundred and a four-wicket haul in the second innings, entertaining the Ahmedabad cricketing faithfuls to the hilt, Jadeja was adjudged the player-of-the-match.
The Saurashtra batter was then asked about this striking Kapil Dev stat and his proximity to the milestone, to which the senior India cricketer replied with a laugh filled with anxiety.
"You are putting pressure on me, sir, " he told the journalist with an infectious smile.
However, if there is anyone who truly deserves to get to the milestone it's Jadeja who fits the bill perfectly.
Jadeja, in the company of R Ashwin, had made playing India in India an impossible task for visiting teams.
He can get through his overs before you finish drinking a cup of tea and you wouldn't know unless you look up at the TV screen.
The left-arm spinner has tormented batters with such consistency and alacrity that they know if they don't defend resolutely there is zero margin for error.
The stump to stump line that he has been the champion of is the crux of his bowling philosophy with the variations, pace and angles doing the rest.
When it comes to batting, the stalwart's approach is what makes him the player he is. In Indian conditions, he can take the spinners down with his aggressive front foot treatment to hit the maximums and the fours.
Piling on misery on the opposition just when they feel they have a hold over India in case they run through the top order has been the highlight of what Jadeja brings to the table in terms of his batting ability.
Smashing bowlers on both sides of the wicket, pacers and spinners alike, in conditions that offer something to batters has been Jadeja's calling card as he provides that immensely valued batting depth.
Whether he joins Kapil Dev in the unique all-rounders club or not remains to be seen, but Jadeja's legacy in Indian cricket will always be incomparable simply because there is none in his mould.
