"Ravindra Jadeja Has To Convince Management That He Is Better Than Axar Patel As Bowling All-Rounder" - Sanjay Manjrekar

Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar reckoned that Ravindra Jadeja’s place in the T20I team will be decided on whether he plays as a bowling all-rounder or a batting all-rounder.

If he does choose to specify his role as the former, then he might have to fight for his place in the team with Axar Patel, who has recently proven his worth in the 5-match T20I series against the West Indies.

“Ravindra Jadeja himself knows there is some serious competition coming in. So it’s really about Jadeja now convincing the selectors whether he is going to be a bowling all-rounder or a batting all-rounder.”

“Depending on that, his place in the team will be decided. If he is competing as a bowling all-rounder, he has got to convince the team management that he is better than Axar Patel as a second spinning option,” Manjrekar told Sports18.

“Ashwin and Axar Patel have a stronger claim than Jadeja as a pure bowler” – Sanjay Manjrekar

Manjrekar felt that Jadeja’s bowling is weaker compared to the likes of Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar but his batting will make a difference in the lower order, especially during run chases.

“I think we all know and I have maintained that Jadeja in T20 cricket, and we have seen in the Indian T20 league, bowls at a certain time. He is not somebody you can go to in the first six overs whereas you can with Axar.”

“But Axar the batter versus Jadeja the batter, there is a little difference there. So it’s really about the team management deciding whether they want a batting all-rounder or a bowling all-rounder. Ashwin and Axar have a stronger claim than Jadeja as a pure bowler,” he added.

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