India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja made his comeback into the Indian team for the T20Is against Sri Lanka after being out of action for two months due to an injury. He made an immediate impact in the first two games of the three-match T20I series.
However, the biggest impact came when he batted at no.5 in a tough chase in the second T20I. 59 runs still remained when Sanju Samson (39) got out as India chased a 184-run target with Shreyas Iyer solid at the crease.
However, Jadeja exploded on the Sri Lankan bowlers, slamming 45* in 18 balls with one six and 7 fours, helping India win the match by 7 wickets and 17 balls to spare. Shreyas Iyer remained unbeaten on 74 with 4 sixes and 5 fours to his name.
Talking about him batting at no.5, Jadeja said that he was enjoying that position which gives him some time to get his eye in, and thanked skipper Rohit Sharma for showing faith in him.
“Yes, I’m enjoying batting at number five. I can take my time and I can pace my innings according to the situation. I would like to thank Rohit because he trusts me and he believes in me that I can go out there and score runs for my team.
So hopefully whenever I get an opportunity in the future I’ll try and do my best, play according to the situation, and be in the game for my team,” he said at the post-match media interaction.
Jadeja also picked one wicket with his spin and looked in a good flow with the bat in the middle, smashing the Lankan pacers to all parts of the HPCA stadium in Dharamsala.
“I am feeling better, I am confident and I am good to go. I am glad that I played a good inning for my team. Hopefully, I will continue in the same in the upcoming games,” he said.
“Wicket was so good, the ball was coming on nicely and I was just looking to time the ball. I was not trying too hard. I was just looking to play normal cricketing shots. Shreyas has been batting really well. We tried to play till the end,” he said about their 58-run unbroken stand from 25 balls.
(PTI inputs)
