 "IND vs AUS 2022-23, 1st Test: 'Nagpur pitch isn't a rank turner' - Ravindra Jadeja after Day 1 fifer")
synopsis
IND vs AUS 2022-23: India gave a hard time to Australia on Day 1 of the opening Nagpur Test. While Australia was skittled for 177, some called the pitch a "rank turner", which Ravindra Jadeja immediately discarded as.
Indian leg-spinner Ravindra Jadeja used the crease intelligently to create a variety of angles which confused the Australian batters and clearly showed his exploits on Thursday were not the result of the so-called "rank turner" as is being bandied around by some. Jadeja took 5/47 on his international comeback with the prized scalps of Marnus Labuschagne and Steven Smith as Australia managed only 177 in its first innings on the opening day of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.
"This wasn't a rank-turner. Compared to other pitches, it was slow and had a low bounce. I felt defending wasn't very difficult today, but as the game progresses, it [defending] will become increasingly difficult. But that's the nature of Test cricket," Jadeja said at the end of the day's play.
Jadeja then explained how he played mind games with the batters and got the better of them. "I used the crease as not every delivery was turning. And, as I said, the bounce was low, so trying [I tried] to create doubts in the batters' minds," he explained.
"I was going wide off the crease and coming close to the stumps and some deliveries. If they stepped out and it turned, there would always be a chance. Luckily, he [Labuschagne] stepped out [and] that one [delivery] turned after pitching. And for Smith, the ball went straight from that same spot from where I delivered the earlier [Labuschagne] delivery," said Jadeja, who is now three shy of 250 Test wickets.
The idea was to keep the Aussies guessing which delivery would turn and which would come straight with the angle, and it worked to perfection for the wily spinner. "Yes, there was natural variation from the wicket, but I tried to mix up the angles so that there was doubt in the batter's mind," Jadeja stated.
Jadeja also said the aim was to bowl stump to stump on a low-bounce track. The spinner added that he was happy with his rhythm, having played a quality Ranji Trophy match for Saurashtra against Tamil Nadu last month. Jadeja had taken seven second-innings wickets in the First-Class (FC) game on return from a five-month injury layoff.
"I loved the rhythm with which I bowled, and the ball came out of my hand quite well. Line and length were also accurate since there was no bounce off the track. I preferred bowling stump to stump. On a low-bounce track, there are more chances of the leg before and bowled, and luckily, I got a few leg-before and bowled, so that makes me happy," Jadeja demonstrated.
"I wouldn't say this is exactly like the Chennai track [where the Ranji Trophy game was played] but quite similar to it in low bounce. So, the thought process was to bowl stump to stump," added Jadeja.
It wasn't easy to rotate the strike
Jadeja added that when Smith and Labuschagne added 84 runs for the third wicket, breaking the partnership was uppermost on his mind. "They were searching for runs and it wasn't easy to rotate the strike and get runs off each ball. (So they) also started trying different things," he framed.
"And, once they had a partnership, I decided to bowl as many dot balls as possible consistently. [The] pitch wasn't offering turn, so [I] had to bowl [in] good areas and maintain good line and length to break the stand," Jadeja added.
I only wanted to come back when 100 per cent fit
Jadeja was provisionally picked for the Test series against Bangladesh in December last year. Still, he said he only wanted to return once he was fully fit and had the confidence back. "It was [a] difficult [phase] as I have missed a lot of cricket in the last five months, missed important tournaments [Asia Cup and World T20]. Rehabs are challenging for players, and keeping the performance level post rehab is even more demanding," he explained.
"You need that confidence, and there are always doubts that [whether] post injury your performance will remain the same or not. My motivation was to get fit as quickly as possible as I had already spent five months away from cricket, and I wanted to be 100 per cent fit, so it took me some more time. The doubt that I wanted to clear is whether or not I can give that 100 per cent in a match situation," concluded Jadeja.
(With inputs from PTI)
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