Indian wicket-keeper batter, Dinesh Karthik reckons that the Indian all-rounder, Ravindra Jadeja is not a reckless kid anymore. Jadeja has often been treated as a three-dimensional player in the Indian team for more than a decade and has the enthusiasm to play all three formats even at the age of 33. Jadeja had a right forearm injury during the first Test against New Zealand in Kanpur in November last year.
The all-rounder went under rehabilitation along with the limited-overs skipper, Rohit Sharma at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. Both Rohit and Jadeja failed to make it to the South Africa tour because of their respective injuries. Jadeja has played 280 international matches for India since making his debut in 2009 in an ODI match against Sri Lanka.
Ravindra Jadeja had amassed 4862 runs and has claimed 420 wickets across all formats. Karthik, who has been teammates with Jadeja over the years in Team India and Gujarat Lions, said the Saurashtra-born all-rounder has the ability to win the team matches with his batting.
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During a recent chat on Cricbuzz, Dinesh Karthik said, “Jadeja is ready to bat at No.6. In fact, he is batting so well that he can play at No.5 as well. He is using his brain and is not that reckless kid anymore. He is someone who is winning games with the bat. In fact, in white-ball cricket, his stronger suit is his batting.”
South Africa whitewashed India 3-0 in the ODI series to show that the new Proteas team is determined to win against any strong side in international cricket. Indian spinners Ravichandran Ashwin (two ODIs) and Yuzvendra Chahal picked only three wickets between them in the series against the Proteas.
Former South Africa pacer, ale Steyn said that India missed the services of Jadeja in their tour to South Africa.
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During a chat on Star Sports, Dale Steyn said, “They (India) definitely missed somebody like Sir Ravi Jadeja. I just think he is a wonderful cricketer. He can control the game with his left-arm spin. He is brilliant and he can also bat.”
Ravindra Jadeja hasn’t been part of India’s white-ball series against West Indies for three ODIs and as many T20Is.
