Has Ravindra Jadeja sealed a spot in World Cup squad?
India's left-arm spin all-rounder, Ravindra Jadeja, got a surprise call-up to the Indian ODI team after third choice spinner Axar Patel got injured during the Asia Cup 2018. The player, who recently impressed in the fifth Test against England, had last played an ODI more than a year ago. He was drafted into the team and Jadeja impressed, on return, to justify his selection.
Injury woes for Team India a blessing in disguise
With all-rounder Hardik Pandya ruled out of the tournament after suffering an injury against Pakistan, the Indian team had to be wise in team selection. They had called pace bowler Deepak Chahar as Pandya's replacement. But it was Axar's loss that turned out to be Jaddu's gain. And when you have someone like Jadeja in the squad, he would definitely be the first choice.
Jadeja impresses in his outing with 4 wickets
Jadeja started the game in a rusty fashion and Shakib Al Hasan was quick to capitalize. But credit to the Indian team for getting the field right and Jadeja got the crucial wicket of Bangladesh's all-rounder. After that, he was unstoppable. He bowled accurate and kept attacking the middle-stump. The dot balls multiplied and he got three more wickets under his belt.
Jaddu grabs the opportunity
Jadeja made a return to the side after a gap of 27 ODI matches. And a sudden call-up for the Asia Cup came as a big surprise. But Jadeja grabbed the opportunity with both hands and showed his experience. He comes in as a third spinner in the Playing XI. However, Jaddu's batting skills are pivotal as well.
5th Test against England was of big help
The fifth Test against England at the Oval earlier this month was of big help to Jadeja. Notably, he was only playing his second Test of the year. Seven wickets at the Oval boosted his confidence and he bowled plenty across two innings. Jadeja will not be looking to get carried away and knows he has to keep performing at the same level.
Jadeja has a long road ahead
Pandya will come back soon and most probably will be handed his place. For Jadeja, the fight is against the wrist spin bowlers. His first target will be to seal his spot for the ODIs against West Indies. It will be interesting to see how many spinners India pick for World Cup 2019 in England. Jadeja has a long road ahead.
