Four-star Ravindra Jadeja not thinking about 2019 World Cup yet

Ajit Vijaykumar 09:42 22/09/2018
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  • Ravindra Jadeja (c).

    India left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja has enjoyed a brilliant month. He got to play the fifth and final Test against England at The Oval and proved his worth in red ball cricket by picking up seven wickets and scoring 99 runs even as India lost the series 4-1.

    Then he got an opportunity in the ongoing Asia Cup following injuries to Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel and delivered a match-winning spell of 4-29 against Bangladesh in the Super Four clash in Dubai on Friday.

    While Jadeja picked up four wickets, the two wrist spinners in the team – Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav – went wicketless. It was ironical as it was the emergence of the two wrist spinners that cost Jadeja, and Ravi Ashwin, a spot in the white-ball teams.

    All sides are planning for the 2019 World Cup in England and Jadeja’s brilliant month would put him on the radar of selectors and team management. However, the left-arm spinner is taking it one series a time.

    Ravindra Jadeja replaced Axar Patel after the latter sprained his ankle.

    Ravindra Jadeja replaced Axar Patel after the latter sprained his ankle.

    “I won’t think so far ahead as World Cup is far away. Whenever I get an opportunity, I need to perform the way I did today. Before World Cup, we will play many matches. Can’t think about it now. My focus is to perform in this series,” Jadeja said on Friday.

    However, Jadeja admitted being away from the ODI team, and even in Tests during away tours, forced him to work harder on his game.

    “I was (mainly) playing Test cricket. Last few series were away so I didn’t play in it. I was concentrating on what is in my control, how to improve my game in away conditions. When I got a chance in England, I did well. Here unfortunately Axar got injured and I got my opportunity and did well,” Jadeja said.

    India’s next match is against Pakistan and while it is their second clash of the tournament, it is Jadeja’s first and will be his first encounter with the team that smashed him for 67 runs from eight overs and pretty much ruined his ODI career. But Jadeja doesn’t see it as an opportunity to avenge the final thrashing.

    “Be it India-Pakistan or any other country, playing for India is a matter of pride. But India-Pakistan is something everyone is excited about.

    “I don’t have to prove anything to anyone. Whatever my ability is, I need to sharpen it. I don’t have to show anyone what I can do. I need to challenge myself.”

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