Published: Mar 25, 2015, 06:36 PM (IST)
Edited: Mar 25, 2015, 08:07 PM (IST)
India are set to take on the in-form Australia in the second semi-final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015. India have match-winners in their team and most of them have performed. But there is one player who is yet to perform for India and in a knock-out game. India will want Ravindra Jadeja to step up. Nikhil Popat tries to decipher the curious case of Jadeja.
The last time India won an ICC tournament, Ravindra Jadeja was the highest wicket-taker. We are of course talking about the ICC Champions Trophy 2013 here. On pitches which had some help for the spinners, he was brilliant with his variations, and took 12 wickets in five games at an average of just 12.83. In the semi-final of that tournament, Jadeja had figures of 10-1-33-1. The lone wicket was that of Mahela Jayawardene, who was beginning to guide his side towards resurgence. In the rain-curtailed final against England, when he castled Jos Buttler, he almost sealed the game for India. Jadeja the ‘Sir’ was on a high. But in this ICC Cricket World Cup 2015, he is yet to make the impact that India want him to make. Read: India vs Australia, ICC World Cup 2015 semi-final Preview
In ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 so far, Jadeja has blown more hot than cold. With the bat, in four opportunities, he has scored in excess of 20 on just one occasion. On most occasions, he arrived at the crease at a time when his team needed him to score quick runs. He has often played a lofted shot too early in his innings and showed poor game awareness. After the game against West Indies, Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was quick to point out that Jadeja needed to step up. Everyone expected him to be dropped next game but Dhoni is known to back his players to the hilt. Read: Five reasons why India will beat Australia in ICC World Cup 2015 semi-final
He picked him based on his experience, but Jadeja disappointed in the next couple of games as well. Back to Australia for the quarter-final, with bigger boundaries to bowl with, he finally seems to have found his groove. He was tossing the ball up, varying his pace against Bangladesh. He finished with two for 42 in his 10 overs. He picked up two crucial wickets of Shakib Al Hasan and Nasir Hossain. India won the game by 109 runs. His 23 runs off just 10 balls in that very game were also crucial in India getting that cushion of 300 runs on board to defend. Read: Five reasons why Australia will beat India in ICC World Cup 2015 semi-final
He has a history against Australia though, in the game against Australia in the ICC World Twenty20 in 2010, he was hit for six consecutive sixes in as many balls by David Warner and Shane Watson combined across two overs. In the Test series against Australia at home in 2013-14, Jadeja was at his best and picked up 24 wickets at an average of just 17.45. He did not play in the Test series this year due to his shoulder injury but he will hoping to correct his poor record against Australia in One-Day Internationals (ODIs). He has an average of 46.60 with a strike rate of 51.6 against them. Read: Presence of Swami Army at Sydney for semi-final will give India a chance
The semi-final against Australia will be played at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). The pitches at the ground are normally conducive to spin bowling and the given the circumstances for this game, there is a chance of the deck suiting India more than Australia. The Indian team is going to bank on him and Ravichandran Ashwin to get the most out of it and set the game up. Read: India vs Australia, ICC Cricket World Cup 2015: Key Clashes
Ashwin has had a superb World Cup so far and has reinvented himself. His change in approach; bowling slow, landing the ball in the right areas and flighting the ball has helped him reap rich rewards. Jadeja need not look far and can take inspiration from his colleague. He can also have a look at how the spell of Daniel Vettori against Australia in this World Cup 2015 turned the game on its head. Now Jadeja may not have the class and guile of Vettori but if he can emulate the lines and lengths bowled by the Kiwi, India will be in a good position. ICC Cricket World Cup 2015: SCHEDULE & MATCH DETAILS
The value that Jadeja adds to the team is never in doubt. He is probably one of the best fielders currently playing this game. But in this Indian team, almost everyone has contributed to their success in this ICC Cricket World Cup barring him and if Jadeja can step up tomorrow, it might just help India beat Australia for the first time in about four months of tour Down Under. ICC Cricket World Cup 2015: Complete Coverage
(Nikhil Popat is a cricket lover and a PotterHead, who loves to be himself, and is not shy of expressing himself. He can be followed on Twitter @CricCrazyNIKS)
