Former India spinner Maninder Singh has questioned all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja’s role in the India XI against England, saying it was the head coach Ravi Shastri and the captain Virat Kohli’s job to specify the role given to the cricketer and show confidence in him.
So far in the ongoing five-match Test series in England, Jadeja has been India's primary spin bowler, but he could manage only two wickets in five innings so far, leaving the former spinner disappointed with the all-rounder’s job.
Maninder felt the left-hander was picked in the playing XI because of his bowling with the additional benefit of his batting, but he wasn’t given that “feeling”.
He further said that the left-arm spinner’s role isn’t just to restrict run flow but to take wickets and it is the job of Kohli and Shastri to convey this message to Jadeja and give him the confidence to do so.
Maninder Singh said on ESPNCricinfo, “What happens is that sometimes, it's the captain and the coach who give you that confidence. I have seen for the past 20-25 years that Indian spinners feel, and I don't know why whether it's because of the captain or the coach giving them that feeling, that in these conditions, they just need to restrict (the run-flow).”
He said the spin duo of Jadeja and R Ashwin both are good enough capable to take wickets on any surface having plenty of experience at international cricket, but in the end, it all depends on the captain what he wants from his bowlers. Ashwin was ignored for the first 3 Tests in England.
The former spinner further explained, “Whereas I feel Jadeja and R Ashwin are good enough to get you wickets on any kinds of the track because they are good bowlers and playing international cricket. It's the captain who needs to give you that confidence.
I remember Ashwin when he went to Australia for his first tour under Mahendra Singh Dhoni, he came back and said in an interview that 'my role was to restrict'. Now, who gave him that feeling? The captain and the coach.”
Maninder continued, “I think if captain and coach are more positive, they will tell all their bowlers that we expect wickets from you -it does not matter what kind of surface you are bowling on. If you are in the Indian team and playing as a bowler, you are supposed to take wickets and not restrict because he is not that big a batsman who is getting you runs in every second innings.”
He signed off by saying, “You are playing him as an all-rounder who gets you a 40 or a 50, which he did in the first two Test matches, but he is supposed to get wickets as well because he is mainly playing as a bowler who could bat.”
