India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja feels scoring a hundred in tough English conditions will not only enhance his reputation as a batter but will also serve as a big confidence booster going forward in his career.
Jadeja’s 104 off 194 deliveries proved to be a huge boost to India making 416 runs in the first innings. He had added 222 runs with Rishabh Pant (146 off 111 balls) for the sixth wicket to rescue India from 98 for five in their first innings in the rescheduled fifth and final Test against England here.
"I am very happy that I scored a hundred outside India and that too in England. It is a big thing as a player. For me, I take this hundred as a confidence booster to score a hundred in England in swinging conditions," Jadeja said after the second day's play at Edgbaston.
Ravindra Jadeja has grown leaps and bounds as a batter and has become the first-choice spin all-rounder in the India team. This was his third hundred in Test cricket and second this year.
"In England, you need to play close to your body because if you try to play cover drives and square drives there are chances that you may get out caught behind or in the slips. So my focus was to leave balls that are outside off stump. I thought of hitting the ball if it was pitched close to me. Luckily the balls I picked were in my areas. You need to know your off stump and leave the ball which is pitched outside off stump,' he said about his knock, only the second Test century of his career,” Jadeja said.
"In these conditions the ball swings so you need to bring in discipline in your batting. You have to play picking the balls which are on fourth and fifth stumps. In 40, 50 or 70 you can get out to a good ball. I was just thinking that if I get a good ball I can do nothing but at least I should try not to play a bad shot and not go in search of boundaries. If the ball is in my range and my areas I will hit that," he said.
Jadeja said he enjoys batting with the dashing Pant as it makes life easy for him.
"There is to some extent less pressure while batting with Rishabh because he doesn't mercy any bowler. Standing at the non-striker end I was feeling happy because the England weren't focusing too much on me. They were looking to get Rishabh's wicket. But as a batter you need focus and concentrate on England because you can get a good delivery anytime. So I and Rishabh were talking on building a long partnership because we had to put a lot of hard work to take the team to a good position from 98 for 5,” Jadeja further added.
(PTI inputs)
