Ravindra Jadeja’s emergence as a reliable finisher in limited-overs games in recent years has given the Indian team a huge advantage and flexibility with their playing XIs. Jadeja has shown he can take India to victories or finish the game in the ‘Mahi way’, inspired by MS Dhoni.
The all-rounder made his limited-overs debut in 2009 and played his first Test in 2012. He has 2145 runs and 227 wickets in 56 Tests. Jadeja also has 2411 runs and 188 wickets in 168 ODIs, to go with 39 wickets and 217 runs in 50 T20I matches.
"I like to finish matches and win it for my team. Now I have started to believe in myself and give more opportunities to myself to stay in the middle and take time. Whenever I get an opportunity to finish the game, I always take the game deep," Jadeja told TimesofIndia.com in an exclusive interview.
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Since 2017, Jadeja has played 24 Tests and scored 1009 runs at an average of 40.36. He also has 72 wickets. In the ODIs during that period, the 32-year-old has scored 497 runs in 32 matches, averaging 38.23, and has 33 wickets under his belt.
Jadeja has also played under MS Dhoni’s leadership not only for India but also for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the IPL for the past decade. And he has admitted to learning a lot from the mercurial former Indian captain.
"Dhoni bhai always keeps telling me that whenever I get an opportunity, just think that like you are feeling the pressure, the bowler is feeling it as well. So don’t think just about yourself, but also the bowler. He (Dhoni) has been an amazing influence in my career," Jadeja said.
Jadeja has 2290 runs and 120 wickets in 191 IPL matches, including three four-wicket hauls and one five-wicket haul.
When asked whether he misses MS Dhoni, the left-arm all-rounder said: "Yes, I definitely miss him because he was always guiding me in the right way. If I wasn’t doing the right thing on the field, he would come and talk to me, and tell me that I have to work some more on a particular aspect. He keeps talking to me, and our bond goes back 12 years. I do miss him."
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Given that he has played his recent cricket for India under the captaincy of Virat Kohli, Jadeja also compared Kohli’s leadership style with Dhoni’s.
"I think they are both different in their captaincy. I think Dhoni bhai is very calm, but Virat is more of an aggressive and positive captain on the field. They both have their own styles to lead the team,” Jadeja said.
Jadeja will be seen in action in the IPL 2021 for CSK and will also be playing in the T20 World Cup 2021, as he was named in India’s 15-member squad for the ICC event.
(Times of India inputs)
