India’s veteran wicket-keeper bat Dinesh Karthik has showered praise on Ravindra Jadeja and feels the left-arm is right up there with the likes of Anil Kumble and Ravichandran Ashwin. Jadeja has made a rollicking return to International cricket, bagging two Man of the Match awards in the two Test matches against Australia in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar series.

Jadeja returned with career-best figures of 7-42 in the second innings of the Delhi Test match and helped the home team in skittling out the visitors at 113 runs. Furthermore, he took three wickets in the first essay and thus returned with 10 wickets in the match.

Jadeja has taken 17 wickets in the two Test matches at a splendid average of 11.24 in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar series.

“He [Ravindra Jadeja] is really at the peak of his powers. He’s crossed 30, and you get the feeling that he is right now at a very strong point in his life. The way he is batting, you can argue that when India goes abroad, you get the feeling that he is solid against fast bowling as a batter and gives you a lot of confidence,” said Karthik while talking to Cricbuzz.

Jadeja had match figures of 10-110 and this was his second 10-wicket haul in Test matches.

“When it comes to India, a ten-wicket haul is not something that’s easy, but he seems to do it with consistency. As a bowler, he is right up there with Anil Kumble and Ravichandran Ashwin,” Karthik added.

Karthik added that it must have been hard on Jadeja when he was ruled out of action due to a knee injury for five months.

“It’s very hard to put into context what he [Ravindra Jadeja] must have gone through in the last six months because he was well in line to be a part of the World Cup and was a very important cog in the wheel. Missing it due to a freak injury but then coming back and doing it the Jadeja way completely,” said Karthik.

The third Test match between India and Australia will be played at the Holkar Cricket Stadium, Indore from March 1.