Ravindra Jadeja delivered a commanding all-round performance to guide Rajasthan Royals (RR) to a comprehensive 40-run victory over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at Ekana Cricket Stadium on Wednesday (April 23).

After the Royals were reeling at 32/3, Jadeja anchored the innings with an unbeaten 43 off 29 balls, including a final-over six to lift the total to 159/6. He then produced a stunning spell (1 for 29 in 4 overs) to help RR bundle out LSG for a paltry 119 in 18 overs.

Speaking during the post-match presentation, Jadeja decided the Player-of-the-Match award to his wife Rivaba Jadeja, whom he playfully referred to as the "Education Minister of Gujarat", mentioning she predicted he would "do wonders".

"Yeah, feeling good, getting Man of the Match and winning the team. So, yeah, I'm feeling very good, but before I start, I would like to dedicate this award to Education Minister of Gujarat (his wife) because she told me yesterday itself that you're gonna do wonders tomorrow. So I would like to thank her,” Jadeja said.

Reflecting on his knock, Jadeja highlighted the challenging pitch conditions while also adding that his aim was to play a long innings.

“Yeah, wicket was not that easy because ball was seaming and swinging. So I thought, let me play longer as much as I can. And that is what I was talking to Donovan and whoever coming next to batting. So I was just talking to him that we'll play longer because in T20 cricket, you never know. Last over, as we like, we cashed in, like we got 20-odd runs in last over. So that is what the thinking behind,” he stated.

Jadeja also explained his approach against LSG speedster Mayank Yadav in the last over, where RR managed to finish strongly.

“Yeah, I think coming from injury, it's not that easy bowling with that pace. But I was just backing my strength and I was talking to my partner that let's back each other and let's play good cricket shot. Because as I said, on this wicket, ball was seaming a lot and bounce was there. So it's not that easy that you can play any shot at any given time,” he remarked.

Following the wicket of Nicholas Pooran, Jadeja made a gesture of putting his hands in his pocket. He called it a spontaneous action meaning "he is in my pocket".

“Yeah he is in my pocket. Nothing, just randomly thought came into my mind and I did it,” Jadeja said.

Ravindra Jadeja noted the ball was gripping; hence, he adjusted by bowling slower balls and varied his pace specifically to challenge Mitchell Marsh on the shorter side of the boundary.

“(On bowling slower today) No, because ball was gripping a little bit. So I was just thinking that should I bowl quicker on this wicket or should I bowl slow? So I thought, okay, I bowl a few slow balls. And then I realized that yeah, if I bowl slow, then I might get a little bit hold from the wicket. So that is what I was looking to do,” he elaborated.

“(on bowling different paces to Marsh) Because that side was on the mid-wicket side, long-on side a little bit shorter compared to other sides. So I knew that he might play that shot at some stage. So I was just bowling and mixing up with my pace, slow, wide and full ball also. Today I was looked to bowl slow,” Jadeja concluded.