IND vs AUS 2022-23: Ravindra Jadeja has been working on his comeback for the series. As he participated in a Ranji Trophy game for Saurashtra against Tamil Nadu, he scalped a seven-for, which virtually sealed his return to the national side.
Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, who is on a comeback trail after a knee injury and a long layoff, articulated on Thursday that he is ready for the four-Test series against Australia for the Bordfer-Gavaskar Trophy. He picked up seven wickets for Saurashtra versus Tamil Nadu in a 2022-23 Ranji Trophy contest at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
"Yes, yes, yes...," the left-handed all-rounder stated in retort to a query if he was ready for the touring side captained by Pat Cummins after Day 3's play of the Ranji Trophy fixture in Chennai. Jadeja's haul assisted Saurashtra in bowling out TN for 133 in the second innings, and the visitors would require 262 runs for an outright triumph on Friday.
Jadeja last featured for Team India in the Asia Cup last August. The four-Test Border-Gavaskar series begins in Nagpur on February 9. Jadeja, who is captaining Saurashtra in place of a rested Jaydev Unadkat in the final Ranji Trophy league game, had figures of 7/53 in the second innings.
Jadeja communicated that grasping a fifer was exemplary and that he was "feeling perfect" playing after a long time. "Feeling very good, playing a game after a long time. Hopefully, I am good to go now. It was tough on the first day, but as the game progressed, I was feeling good," Jadeja said.
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Questioned about bowling 12 overs at a stretch in his second spell, he declared, "I [am] used to bowling long spells. Nothing new for me. I was enjoying myself as the ball was turning. The pitch was assisting me. When we were batting, the oddball was spinning, and the oddball was keeping low, so I was keen to bowl a long spell. Luckily, I got wickets."
If he felt he was there regarding wellness, Jadeja spoke, "Yes, I am almost there. It is just a little bit of confidence. Luckily, I bowled enough overs in the match, like almost 37 overs in the game [41 -- 24 in the first innings and 17.1 in the second]." Asked if he felt any discomfort, Jadeja said, "No discomfort... not really. When you get seven wickets, you feel confident. It is always good to take a five-for in a first-class game."
(With inputs from PTI)