“Was Mentally Prepared”: Ravindra Jadeja On Coming To Bat At No.4 vs Pakistan

Team India’s campaign in the ongoing Asia Cup 2022 got off to a winning start on Sunday as Rohit Sharma and co. defeated arch-rivals Pakistan by five wickets. It was Ravindra Jadeja and Hardik Pandya who put on 52 runs for the fifth wicket to help India chase down 148. Jadeja was dismissed for 35, but Pandya remained unbeaten on 33 to take the side over the line. Team India will next face Hong Kong at the same venue on Wednesday.

Jadeja addressed a press conference on Tuesday where he spoke about the win against Pakistan and what to expect ahead.

“India-Pakistan games are always high-pressure and people have their expectations. All in all, everyone contributed in all three departments. Spinners bowled well in the game as well, but sometimes it can happen that you can deliver good balls but the wickets do not come. The T20 format is such that fast bowlers can end up taking wickets on full tosses. As a bowling unit, everyone bowled well. Whenever we needed a wicket, we got that. It was a collective performance from us against Pakistan.

“Pressure is always there when you play for India. You have to play with responsibility. Whenever you go out to bat, when the side is in a tough spot. The same goes for bowling. You feel good when you perform under pressure. It gives you confidence for sure,” he added.

Talking about Pakistan pacer Naseem Shah, Jadeja said: “It is not like that we would have lost if Naseem Shah was not suffering from cramps. In T20, bowlers are under pressure at the death, it does not matter if he is young or experienced. Luckily, whatever we tried, it worked. Naseem Shah is a good bowler, he knows in what areas he needs to bowl and how to counter situations. All their pacers bowled well, it was not easy.”

When asked about him coming at No.4 and whether the same will continue if Rishabh Pant comes into the side, Jadeja said: “Sometimes, left-arm spinners are bowling so it is easier to send a left-handed batter to the middle. I was the only left-hander in the Top 7 in the last game and somehow I knew this sort of situation might arise as they have a left-handed spinner and leg spinner. I was mentally prepared for that. You cannot say whether the same will continue going ahead as all oppositions are different.”

Talking about the rumours that keeping surfacing about him on the internet, Jadeja had a hilarious incident to narrate. “You are talking about me not being a part of the T20 World Cup squad, this is nothing. I had once read that I have died (laughs). I do not think about all this, I just look to give my best. You just need to practice and improve and this is the key to success.”

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In the game against Pakistan, Team India benefitted due to the slow over-rate of their opponents. In the last overs, Pakistan had to bring in five fielders inside the 30-yard circle because of slow over-rate and not being able to finish their overs in the allotted time.

Speaking about this rule, Jadeja said: “You need to bowl your overs in quick time otherwise it can cost you the game. You have to move quickly between the overs,” said the all-rounder.