Spinner Ravindra Jadeja who is currently out of national reckoning in the limited overs format is determined to represent India in all three formats. The Saurashtra cricketer says playing test cricket is not enough to keep him in full fitness for International cricket.
Jadeja, 29, looked in good touch with the ball in the fifth test by picking two important wickets. He warmed the bench for the starting four test, but an injury to Ravichandran Ashwin meant he finally gets a game.
I have to give my best on the field- Jadeja
“For me the biggest thing is that I am playing for India and maybe some day if I do well, I will be back playing all three formats of the game soon enough. But my aim is to convert any opportunity I get into performance,” he said after stumps on day one.
“When you are playing just one format it is very tough because there is too much gap between matches and the experience (rhythm) you need to play at international level is less. So you have to keep motivating yourself whenever I get a chance, like in this game, whatever ability I have, I have to give my best on the field.”
I want to be a genuine all-rounder in the team- Jadeja
“Whenever I get an opportunity to play for India, I will give my best in both aspects batting and bowling. I want to become a trusted member of the team and I can fulfil the all-rounder slot well because I have done it before in the past. It isn’t anything new to me. It is a matter of time.
“When you are going through a bad patch, you need to play more and more to regain your old form and touch. So it is possible the more I play international cricket, the better I will perform and will be able to make a comeback in all three formats,” he said.
On a flat Oval wicket, England were 133 for one at one stage but Indian bowlers clobbed their way back into the match by picking six wickets in the last session as England finished the day on 198/7.
“Everyone bowled well, especially when the partnership between Moeen Ali and Alastair Cook was on, our plan was to stop the boundaries. Our plan was that if they didn’t get boundaries, they’d panic and play wrong shots and get out. And that’s exactly what happened.
“From there we got six wickets for 50 or so. As a bowling department, that is our idea not to concede runs. If there’s a partnership, we will bowl in good areas. In England, if one wicket falls, you get two or three in a cluster. And that’s what happened,” he said.
Jadeja was all praises for the bowlers and said that the wicket offers help to the batsman but Indian pacers bowled really well.
Talking about his game plan
“I was just thinking that I shouldn’t concede boundaries, because if that pressure is released at one end, it becomes easy for the batsmen. We didn’t get any wickets in the second session but we didn’t concede many runs either. We came back well. Everyone did their jobs in the bowling department,” he said.
