As India prepares for the third Test at Rajkot starting on Thursday, Ravindra Jadeja has downplayed the threat presented by an England team motivated by Bazball. Ben Stokes' England was expected to have its hardest Test series yet on this tour of India. Still, the Three Lions have performed admirably thus far, winning the opening game of the five-match series in Hyderabad despite blowing a 190-run lead in the first innings.
While spinners and most of the home team's hitters struggled, India recovered with a 106-run victory in Visakhapatnam to tie the series at one. Jasprit Bumrah and Yashasvi Jaiswal's skill was key in this victory.
Many analysts and England supporters have deemed the team led by Brendon McCullum as favourites to win the trophy due to their confident start to the series. Still, Jadeja has refused to call the squad 'one of the most difficult teams'. He then stated that if it weren't for 'small mistakes,' India may have won the Hyderabad Test.
'I won't call England one of the hardest teams to play against. Other teams have found it difficult to get to India and succeed. They play aggressively. On the eve of the Rajkot Test, Jadeja stated, ' We need to adjust to that and make plans for them.
'We wouldn't have lost if we hadn't made a few minor errors in the first Test's second innings.'
Regarding the Rajkot pitch, Jadeja proposed that it should help the hitters before giving them a turn.
The pitch is firm and level here but also relies on their preparation. Though this wicket appears fantastic, sometimes you may get 37 wickets in three matches (days).
In this instance, the wicket acts differently in each game. It twists occasionally, stays flat other times, and plays great for two days before changing. I think it will play nicely at first, and then the ball will spin and shatter slowly, he continued.
Jadeja's hamstring injury kept him out of the second Test, marking the most recent setback in the great all-rounder's two-year struggle with injuries. Since 2021, he has missed at least five occasions in international competitions.
Although injuries have been tough, the 35-year-old stated he can't hide from the game.
'It is annoying, but there is more cricket these days, and that is something that is constantly on my mind. I am constantly on the hot spot in every format, so I can't hide elsewhere on the pitch, and that could be the cause of my injuries. The ball comes to me frequently,' he stated.
'The squad is counting on me to field well and take excellent catches, and that's good. I can take better care of my body and work on it more strategically, hoping that nothing goes wrong. However, there is no assurance.'
Jadeja continued by saying that he would need to take good care of his body to prevent injuries.
'I want to give it everything I've got, preserve my body, and avoid diving when it's not necessary. That is all. I don't give that much thought since it occurred before returning from injury.
'As the game goes on, your body will adjust to the flow and you won't even remember that there was an injury.' It will take me a day or two to get into the flow.
