Former Indian batter Sanjay Manjrekar has hailed Ravindra Jadeja’s performances in the Border-Gavaskar series against Australia, which India won by 2-1 after the fourth Test match at the Narendra Modi Stadium was drawn on Monday.
Jadeja was able to hit the ground running after he made a comeback to International cricket after five long months. The all-rounder scored 70 runs in the first Test match at Nagpur and also picked seven wickets in the match. Furthermore, he scalped 10 wickets in the second Test match at Delhi.
Jadeja was awarded the Player of the Series along with Ravichandran Ashwin for picking 22 wickets and scoring 135 runs in four Test matches against Australia.
When Sanjay Manjrekar was asked about Jadeja’s performance after five month’s hiatus, the commentator said on Star Sports, “It’s good you reminded everyone about that because you forget such things when you reach the fourth Test match. He picked up 10 wickets and became the Player of the Match, but imagine that he had not played any international cricket before that.”
“I heard that he had bowled a lot for sure but the Test match pressure is different, and when you have a rank turner in front of you, there is a different type of pressure. Then it is expected that you will go there and pick up wickets.”
Manjrekar added that Jadeja’s bowling is perfectly suited for Indian conditions. The left-arm orthodox spinner is known for his accuracy and always attacks the stumps for his wickets.
“His bowling is perfectly suited for such pitches and he showed that by doing it. In the first Test, the way he scored runs as well. Before Axar Patel’s knock, there was an important knock from Jadeja.”
“Rohit Sharma had gotten out, then also India was in a troublesome situation. So brilliant bowling on his comeback and his batting was also very crucial for India in that Test match.”
Jadeja will be in action in the three-match ODI series against Australia.