Ahmedabad: Twenty-six-year-old Indian cricket all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja got engaged on Friday with Reeva Solanki in Rajkot city of Gujarat where he hails from.
"This is a very big thing for me that I have got engaged, I always wanted to marry with someone from my caste," Jadeja told media persons soon after the ring ceremony.
"It was my dream, and I am very thankful to my God that my dream is accomplished," Jadeja grinned.
The cricketer, who was officially declared earlier in the day as part of Indian squad for Asia Cup and T20 World Cup tournaments to be held this month and in March, was all smiles.
Jadeja said, "When my sister sent me a photo of Reeva, I instantly decided that I want to marry this girl. It happens when you see someone and you feel she is the person to spend your life with."
His fiance Reeva has completed her mechanical engineering degree at Atmiya College in Rajkot and is now preparing for UPSC examination in Delhi. Her mother Prafullaba Solanki is an Indian Railway employee while her father is a businessman.
The ring ceremony was held at Jadeja's restaurant. Though initially hesitant, Jadeja's family on persistent requests from media persons facilitated his interaction.
When asked, Jadeja said he believed in lady luck. "Lady luck is important in life. I wish lady luck to work soon for me."
The cricketer said he had not made up his mind on the date of his marriage "since my upcoming schedule is very tight". However, he added that he was keen on an early marriage. "I am 26 and I have been alone till now. It makes no sense to continue to be single any longer," the cricketer was candid.
Later, when asked how did it feel to be engaged to a celebrity, Reeva was confident, "I am not marrying to a celebrity. Since we are in a relation now, he is not a celebrity for me. Personally speaking, he is very kind and generous."
She was candid in admitting that she didn't follow cricket. "Frankly speaking, I didn't use to watch cricket earlier but when all these things are going on, I do watch it now."