Former Indian opener Kris Srikkanth has backed Ravindra Jadeja to play a similar role that Yuvraj Singh played in the 2011 World Cup. Singh was the Player of the Tournament in the 2011 World Cup, which India won by beating Sri Lanka in the final by six wickets.

Yuvraj scored 362 runs in the tournament and also picked 15 wickets for the Indian team as he delivered with both bat and ball. On the other hand, Ravindra Jadeja has been performing consistently for the Indian team, especially with the bat in the last couple of years.

Jadeja has scored 2526 runs in 174 ODIs and he has scalped 191 wickets for the national team. The left-arm spinner has an impressive economy rate of 4.91 in the 50-overs version.

Kris Srikkanth feels spin all-rounders will play a major role for the Indian team in the upcoming ODI showpiece in favorable home conditions.

“The sub-continent conditions; some of the wickets will turn a lot, it won’t be bouncy, and it won’t be moving as it’s in Australia. The conditions will be familiar and that’s the biggest advantage for India. In 2011 we saw some of the fantastic all-rounders coming into play and the team was very well led by Dhoni too, and that time we had a Yuvraj Singh. So, I think, Jadeja will do what Yuvraj Singh did in the 2011 World Cup.

“So, I think, Jadeja, Axar Patel… all these players will play a crucial role if India has to win the world cup,” Srikkanth said while talking to India Today.

Jadeja will look to be at his absolute best in the ODI World Cup and he will play a key role in all three departments of the game.

Meanwhile, India will be looking to end their ICC title hoodoo in the forthcoming ODI World Cup 2023, which will begin on October 5. India will begin their campaign against five-time champions Australia on October 8 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai.