After a poor showing in the ODI series against New Zealand, former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has counselled left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja to get over his hesitation and broaden his bowling repertoire. Jadeja struggled to create an impression with the ball and was wicketless in all three games.
Additionally, as India lost the series 1-2, he gave up runs at an economy rate of 6.13. Jadeja also struggled at bat, averaging less than 15 runs per game with a strike rate of 66.15 throughout the three games. Since taking just 12 wickets in 10 games at an average of 33.41 last year, his ODI form has been deteriorating.
“Over the past four or five years, I’ve observed that he will attempt to bowl a carrom ball in a match but not bowl it in the nets. Because of his extraordinary skill, he will perform well in the third match even if he struggles in the first two. However, after playing for so long, it is difficult to increase that bandwidth.
On his YouTube channel, Ashwin stated, “It can only come if you play for fun, like Virat Kohli is doing now.”
The 37-year-old was also encouraged by Ashwin to try new things in his game without fear of the repercussions. With 7,515 runs and 634 wickets across formats, Jadeja is among India’s most accomplished cricket players. After India won the 2024 T20 World Cup in the USA and the West Indies, he had already announced his retirement from Twenty20 Internationals.
‘What’s the worst that can happen?’ is what I’ve told him numerous times as a friend. What would happen if you tried something different and were struck? You’ll perform, you’ll fail, and you’ll be dropped. If you are obstinate and do the same thing and fail, you will be dropped anyway. Even if you try something different, the same holds true,” Ashwin remarked.
“However, what if you try something new and bowl exceptionally well? You overthink positively rather than pessimistically. Jadeja doesn’t need to prove anything to anyone. He’s a king and he’s long,” he continued.
India
