Taking five wickets to disrupt South Africa’s batting performance, he also drew attention with his batting cameo at Eden Gardens on Sunday night.
Like many bowlers do, Ravindra Jadeja practically urged Rohit Sharma to consider a review. What set this occasion apart was that Sharma, the only slip fielder, required little persuasion. The stump microphone captured the Indian skipper expressing in Hindi that it was worthwhile to review the decision, considering that Heinrich Klassen was the last recognized South African batsman. With South Africa at 40/3 in the 13th over, taking the risk certainly seemed justified.
On a night when India’s bowlers once more performed as a cohesive unit, even though it’s hard to believe that Jasprit Bumrah didn’t claim a wicket, and by the time Kuldeep Yadav, who wrapped up the tail, came on, South Africa was at 64/6, Rohit Sharma’s faith was justified. Jadeja’s delivery landed on the leg side, and Klassen had to leave the field after failing to execute a successful sweep shot. In the following over, Mohammed Shami and KL Rahul were quick to call for a DRS review, and once again, Sharma went along with it.
Once more, India’s judgment proved correct, and as a result, Rassie van der Dussen was dismissed after being hit on the back leg by Shami. At 40/5, following 40/4, South Africa’s pursuit of India’s score of 326/5 was virtually over before it had even begun. The bowling was so dominant and relentless in this 243-run victory that Sharma could have acquiesced to the chant of ‘Give Kohli the ball’ reverberating around Eden.
Shami has called Eden his home since 2010, and just like he has been performing in this World Cup after sitting on the bench for four games, he was in great form. He had previously dismissed Aiden Markram with a delivery that targeted the off-stump and moved away sharply. Markram, who was ranked seventh in the run-scorer’s list and had scored a rapid century against Sri Lanka, nicked the ball, and Rahul took a fantastic catch by diving forward. With a total of 2/18 in this match, Shami now stands fourth on the list of leading wicket-takers.
Keshav Maharaj had shown that the pitch would be favorable to spinners. Maharaj’s deliveries don’t approach the batsmen as aggressively as Jadeja’s do, and one such delivery troubled Shubman Gill. It landed on the middle and leg, spun away to elude the bat, and disturbed the stumps. Even though Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj had put pressure on South Africa, and Siraj had dismissed Quinton de Kock, it made sense that Sharma introduced Jadeja from the High Court End in the ninth over.
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Jadeja continued Temba Bavuma’s poor World Cup form by taking three crucial wickets. The South African captain seemed unsure whether to play the ball or stay in his crease, ultimately getting bowled by a delivery that came in quickly and spun away. David Miller was dismissed by a delivery that didn’t turn, while Maharaj fell to one that did. After facing 20 dot balls, Kagiso Rabada lost his patience and hit one straight back at the bowler, giving Jadeja his five-wicket haul. Jadeja became the first Indian spinner to achieve this feat in the current campaign.
Jadeja bowled accurately, targeting the stumps with pace and keeping the batsmen guessing about which deliveries would spin and which ones wouldn’t. He proved to be a formidable challenge even for a team that was ranked second in the tournament.
“I believe the pitch was more challenging when we batted. It offered turn but lacked bounce,” Jadeja commented after the match. He emphasized that when the fast bowlers provide a strong start for the team, it enables the spinners to have the freedom to experiment with their deliveries. Additionally, Jadeja mentioned that India’s decision to bat first was a way to test themselves before the knockout stages.
Adding to Jadeja’s impressive performance of 5/33, he played a crucial 15-ball innings of 29, which included a six and two fours off Marco Jansen in the last over. His exceptional fielding skills once again showcased why Shane Warne referred to him as a rockstar. India’s coach, Rahul Dravid, described him as a complete all-round package, highlighting the challenges of consistency for a No. 7 batter, given the uncertainty of opportunities to bat.
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