Ravindra Jadeja: Why Virat Kohli should include Indian all-rounder in India’s Playing 11 for 2019 World Cup

Virat Kohli should include Indian all-rounder in India’s Playing 11 for 2019 World Cup: The Sportsrush explains why Jadeja should start for India.

We are just a few days away from the marquee ICC Cricket World Cup 2019. Touted as one of the sides expected to go the distance and walk away with the glistening trophy under their arms, the Indian contingent have in their artillery an effervescent bunch of players who can dominate the opposition team at will.

Going into the alluring tournament, one of the biggest strengths that India have is their spin department. The recently concluded Royal London Cup and England vs Pakistan series showed how conducive English pitches are going to be to strokeplay. In such a scenario, India’s rank turners could turn out to be one of the biggest advantages that the side have at their disposal.

India’s spin trio will especially come to the fore with the way the boundaries have been shortened for the event. The slower bowlers will prove to be the difference makers on any given day and India arguably have the best functioning unit in the cricketing fraternity at the moment.

The exceptional ‘Kul-Cha’

The team management must be creating an apt game-plan for the tournament. It is almost certain that India will be going in with the same identity that served them so stupendously in Australia and New Zealand. The two-man department of Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal should be kept intact despite the former yielding below par numbers in the recently concluded Indian Premier League.

The wrist spinners have been on the money, seeing the shape of the ball shaping across and away from the batsmen, enticing batmen with their ominous flight and drift.

It’s especially their performances on overseas wickets that will see them undoubtedly being the main picks for India. Chahal scalped 5/22 against South Africa and 6/42 against Australia while Yadav registered 6/25 to pummel England in the ODI series in their backyard in 2018.

In tandem, the two become ever more deadly with a colossal 43 wickets for Chahal and 60 to Kuldeep in the 28 ODIs they have traversed together.

Ravindra Jadeja entered the frame during Asia Cup last year

However, it would be foolhardy for the Indian contingent to not give a second thought into playing experienced all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. His showings in England, albeit in the test format were outstanding in the last Test at The Oval.

Ever since being selected in India’s 15 man squad, Jadeja has become a figure of contemplation. Is it time to shift the bed-lam and opt towards an approach of one finger and one wrist spinner by roping Jadeja into the setup? We take a look at which option would serve India most fruitfully when the world cup comes and why Jadeja deserves to be a mainstay in India’s playing XI.

Why Ravindra Jadeja?

Over the duration of the last year, Jadeja has reignited his career with variations in his bowling. Initially just a bowler who offered limited variations, the contemporary Jadeja has much more in his artillery. Not only does he use his faster ones sublimely to skid onto the batsmen but he’s not afraid to toss up deliveries now with him getting the ball to spin at a treacherous trajectory as well.

Today’s Jadeja is known for his articulate accuracy and relentless wicket to wicket bowling. His restrictive line and length were on display in the recently concluded IPL as well as India’s series against Australia.

He came to the fore in the fifth ODI at the Feroz Shah Kotla when he was brought on at a time when Australia were batting relentlessly. His first spell saw him get Finch with a ripper, one in which he gave away just 19 runs in 5 overs before coming back in his second to get rid of Maxwell.

Jadeja’s ability as an all-rounder was once against epitomized in the IPL against the Delhi Capitals where Jadeja followed up a 10-ball 25 with a ravishing bowling display of 3-9. He also joined the 100 wicket club this tournament, showing why he’s taken centrestage as one of CSK’s most reliable players over their stay in the tournament. Jadeja’s average of 18.85 in 2019 was his best in any year of the IPL.

Ravindra Jadeja And Kuldeep Yadav. A Possibility At The World Cup?

While Kuldeep Yadav has to be played despite a flummoxed IPL that saw him pick up just 4 wickets in 9 matches before subsequently being dropped, it’s Chahal on the other side who can be dropped. Kuldeep has shown that with the right advice into his ears, he has the ability to mix up the deliveries and work batsmen up with them consistently finding it tough to get under his deliveries.

On the other hand, Chahal is someone who for quite some time now has proved to be way too expensive. He does get wickets but that is more so a result of pressure being piled on from the other end with batsmen trying to take on Chahal subsequently.

Getting in Jadeja in his place would only give India a two pronged, pragmatic attack in the spinning department but also offer the much needed strength to the lower middle-order. With Vijay Shankar and Kedar Jadhav in the middle-order, India are in dire need of someone who can come one in the death overs and play a more than incisive cameo alongside the tail-enders.

Jadeja offers just that, an area which alongside his rejuvenated spin see him make more than a fair share of a bid in cementing a playing spot.

Also what plays in Jadeja’s favour is that he’s one of the best fielders in the Indian side, something the side can do with given how they’ve ended up dropping catches at crucial junctures lstely. He’s definitely someone we would pick for the team but it remains to be seen who the team management reposes faith in.