Graeme Swann has named Ravindra Jadeja as the key player for India in the 2023 World Cup final against Australia. However, both sides will play against each other at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday, November 19. While the Aussies will be looking to win a record-extending sixth World Cup title, Team India will try to win the trophy for the third time as well.

During a discussion on CNN News 18, Swann added: “I am always going to look for the X-factor player, the rockstar, and that has to be (Ravindra) Jadeja. He has had a fairly quiet backend to this World Cup, mostly because the batting order hasn’t really given him anything to do. I always look for big-time players, players when the pressure is on in the heat of the battle, times when even the world’s best fail, Jadeja absolutely lives for those occasions. Just look at the IPL last year, wins the whole IPL off the last two balls, a six and a four.”

Notably, the Chennai Super Kings needed 10 runs off the final two deliveries in the IPL 2023 final against the Gujarat Titans when Jadeja hit a six and a four off Mohit Sharma’s bowling to take the team to a record-equalling fifth IPL title as well. Graeme Swann applauded Ravindra Jadeja’s temperament under pressure as well.

“He is the sort of player who makes me so confident in the Indian team because even if wickets do fall, even if they do get in a chasing situation, he is calmness personified when he walks out to bat. It doesn’t look like he is bothered about anything. He can score all around and hit the winning runs. Then with the ball, if it’s turning especially, the Aussies do not know how to play Jadeja, they are like the English. We don’t know how to play Jadeja, neither do the Aussies. Of course, he is a spinner as well because I always look to the spinners,” Graeme Swann concluded.