Dubai: Ravindra Jadeja expressed the joy of his comeback to India’s One-day team through a match-winning spell that won him the Man of the Match award against Bangladesh on Friday in the Unimoni Asia Cup match at the Dubai International stadium.
When asked by Gulf News how it felt to land in UAE only the day before the match and how happy he was at carrying his stupendous all-round show against England in the last Test match of the series at the Oval into this match, Jadeja said: “Actually I got confidence from last game against England. I didn’t know I got a call for the One-day side because I was playing Vijay Hazare tournament in Delhi. I didn’t know what is going on here [the injuries to players]. Day before I got a call from selector, he said you may have to go to Dubai, I was asked to be ready. It was very good news, and I was very happy after I got the call from the selector.”
Jadeja last played for India’s One-day team during a series against the West Indies in Kingston on July 6, 2017. For over a year, he was not considered for selection and hence he feels this is a special moment.
“Yes definitely this comeback is memorable, because there hadn’t been much gap to the previous comebacks. It had been 480 days since I played, so I will always remember this performance.”
Jadeja revealed how tough it was to get back and how anxiously he waited for this moment.
“Actually I was only thinking that I was playing Test cricket. I was only looking at when I got a chance in that because last two to three series I’ve not played in them,” he said.
“So I was motivating myself to do well whenever I get a chance. What is in my hands is to perform. I was thinking more about what was in my hands, about what I can do, about how I can improve my game and how I can upgrade my game in away conditions. Those are the things I was thinking and not about the results. I got a chance in the last Test and I did well. Here, unfortunately Axar got injured and I got an opportunity. But I am only thinking about what’s in my control.”
More effort on slow wickets
Asked about his approach when faced with the challenge of bowling on slow wickets, Jadeja said: “I think on a slow wicket, it takes more effort because there’s a five-fielder rule, so your midwicket is in, only one fielder is deep for boundary protection. So in my opinion on a slow wicket, more effort is needed to bowl. On normal wicket, even after pitching, the ball goes with pace and bounce which doesn’t give the batsmen much time. But on slow wickets like these, we need to put extra effort to bowl.”
Jadeja and Mahendra Singh Dhoni had good rapport and when asked about it, he said: “Keeper [Dhoni] is in such a position that he knows what’s happening off the wicket and what shots the batsmen are going to play. He’s the only one who can tell that you where [one] should place a fielder as per this field, and where batsmen look to play a shots and which particular area. So the understanding between the bowler and keeper should be good. A keeper knows the strengths of the bowlers and the nature of the wicket.”
So what will be Jadeja’s approach for an India-Pakistan game?
“Whether it is India-Pakistan or any other opposition against India, playing for India is always a matter of pride. When you represent India, it’s obviously a very great feeling but India-Pakistan, which everyone want to watch and everyone is excited to watch the two teams, so I feel it will be a good game. We’re doing well, their team is good. So hopefully for the people it will be a good and interesting game.”
Is Jadeja out to avenge his team’s defeat in the Champions Trophy last year and prove a point against Pakistan.
“I don’t have to prove anything to anyone else. I have to prove to myself because I have to sharpen my ability and cricket skills. I don’t want to show to anyone that I can do this and I can do that. I only want to challenge myself and see how much better I can perform for India and how much better of a performance I can give.”
