Indian spin bowling all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja credited the former Indian captain, MS Dhoni after he played a match-winning knock of 66 runs of 50 balls, in the third and final ODI of the series against Australia in Canberra. Jadeja came to the crease when the Indian team was tottering at 152/5 after 32 overs. Then, he shared a 150 runs unbeaten partnership with Hardik Pandya at the other end, who himself scored 92 runs off 76 balls.
Jadeja said that MS Dhoni has advised him to take the game deep, where he can score a lot of runs in the final overs. India scored 110 runs in the final 10 overs of their innings, which took their score to 302. Jadeja stated that he has learnt to be strategic by playing alongside the Jharkhand born.
Ravindra Jadeja credits Mahendra Singh Dhoni for his match-winning innings against Australia in the third and final ODI in Canberra!!
What Ravindra Jadeja said during a post-match interview with the Sony Sports network that went viral?
“Absolutely, Mahi Bhai has played for such a long time for India and Chennai and he has a set pattern that he tries to build a partnership with whichever batsman is playing and once he gets set, he looks to play the big shots,”
“So, in my opinion, looking at him batting so many times in such situations and I have played with him as well. He tells me that if we take the match to the end, then a lot of runs can come in the last four to five overs.”
What Ravindra Jadeja Further Went On To Add About The Finish To That Game And How He and Hardik Pandya Handled Things?
“So, it was the same situation today and that is what we tried, Hardik and I were talking that we can take a chance in the last five overs as one side was short, so that was the plan.”
During the partnership, Hardik Pandya was the aggressor at the start of the stand. He was playing the big shots. In the final five overs, Ravindra Jadeja pressed on the accelerator and went berserk. At one stage, even 260 was looking difficult. However, the duo batted out of their skins to take the score past 300, which eventually turned out to be a winning total.
India secured a 13 runs victory in the third and final ODI at the Manuka Oval in Canberra. Although they have already lost the ODI series, the victory in the final ODI will rejuvenate them ahead of the T20I series.
The Injury That Has Ruled Ravindra Jadeja Out Post The ODI Series And What Next For Team India?
The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) star picked up an injury in the first T20I. This will now see him miss the first Test match between India and Australia. Knowing the asset that he is, the medical team will try their best to have him fit on time. They will want him ready for the upcoming matches. His contribution in a five-day game can be vital.
Not just is he a good fielder, he can bowl and bat both. He can take some crucial wickets as well to leave his mark on the game. Many Pundits call him a game-changer and his brilliant cricket will surely be missed.
However, with all the cricket that has been played in recent times, this might be quite tough. Jadeja hasn’t taken a real break from the sport in the last few months now. A lot of these players have been playing continuous cricket after the lockdown.
What Next For Team India Ahead Of The Test Matches
With that being said, they need to remain fit in 2021. That is with a huge IPL tournament coming up and the T20 World Cup to follow as well. The world is awaiting an update on the Jadeja injury and will want to have more cricket news soon.
Meanwhile, Team India will get set to face off against Australia in the opening Test. That is from the 17th of December. Virat Kohli and co. will want nothing less than a win to kick-start the Border-Gavaskar tournament.
Despite that, both teams have some problems that they need to resolve. Team India does seem to have the momentum after the T20 series win. However, the change in format means that it could be anyone’s game to win. Let’s wait and watch.
