By Swapneel Deshpande June 12, 2024
India bowling coach Paras Mhambrey revealed that head coach Rahul Dravid has been in conversations with Ravindra Jadeja, who has been struggling with form recently. Jadeja, known for his all-round capabilities, has faced challenges in the T20 format. His recent IPL performances for Chennai Super Kings and his outings in the T20 World Cup have not been up to his usual standards.
Jadeja’s performance has been under scrutiny after a series of lackluster displays. Despite being a crucial player, his impact in T20Is has diminished. His IPL form over the past three years has been mediocre, with this year’s 267 runs being his highest since 2011, but still lacking the necessary impact. His bowling, while effective on spinner-friendly pitches, has struggled on flatter decks.
In the first two T20 World Cup matches, Jadeja’s contributions were minimal. Against Ireland, he didn’t bat and bowled just one over. Against Pakistan, he was out for a golden duck and bowled only two overs. This has led to discussions about preferring Axar Patel over Jadeja, as Axar has been more consistent and was promoted in the batting order against Pakistan.
Speaking at the press conference before India’s next Group A match against the USA, India’s bowling coach Paras Mhambrey said, “I think it’s a team game, right? It’s going to be 11 guys. You really don’t expect all of them coming into form. It’s going to be performed every game that will happen. For me, I personally feel whatever conversations Rahul and Vicky are having around, I’ve been pretty happy with it. And you expect a one-odd game out there.”
Mhambrey emphasized the importance of backing players like Jadeja, stating that a player of his experience needs just one good game to regain form. He acknowledged that other players, including Shivam Dube, are also facing challenges. “It’s a long tournament. I think…someone like Jadeja, who’s so vastly experienced, he just needs a game out there to just get his roots around and feel around. And we know that the skills that he has and the experience, he’s going to go ahead and he’s going to win your games. So that confidence we have in not only Jadeja but honestly with someone like Dube and others as well,” Mhambrey added.
He further said, “You can have one odd game and people will have conversations saying you are given a game, and you’re going to have one bad game. That’s fine, but the team will back you. And that’s what is important in a tournament like this.”
Stay updated with all the cricketing action, follow Cricadium on WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Telegram, and Instagram
Recommended to you