Ravindra Jadeja Is Not That Reckless Kid Anymore - Dinesh Karthik

Indian wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik said that Ravindra Jadeja is not a reckless kid anymore.

Jadeja has been a three-dimensional player for the Indian cricket team for more than a decade and has the enthusiasm to play all three formats even at the age of 33.

Jadeja suffered a right forearm injury during the first Test against New Zealand in Kanpur in November last year.

The all-rounder went under rehabilitation with white-ball skipper Rohit Sharma at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru.

Both Rohit and Jadeja missed the South Africa tour because of their respective injuries.

Ravindra Jadeja is winning games with the bat: Dinesh Karthik

Jadeja has played 280 international matches for India since making his debut in 2009 in an ODI match against Sri Lanka. The 33-year-old has scored 4862 runs and has claimed 420 wickets across all formats.

Karthik, who has been teammates with Jadeja over the years in the Indian team and Gujarat Lions, said the Saurashtra-born player has the ability to win the team matches with his batting.

“Jadeja is ready to bat at No.6. In fact, he is batting so well that he can play at No.5 as well. He is using his brain and is not that reckless kid anymore,” Karthik said on Cricbuzz.

“He is someone who is winning games with the bat. In fact, in white-ball cricket, his stronger suit is his batting,” he added.

India definitely missed somebody like Sir Ravindra Jadeja: Dale Steyn

South Africa whitewashed India 3-0 in the ODI series to show that the new set of players are determined to win against any strong side in international cricket.

Indian spinners Ravichandran Ashwin (two ODI matches) and Yuzvendra Chahal picked only three wickets between them in the series against the Proteas.

Former South Africa pace bowler Dale Steyn said that India missed the services of Jadeja in their tour to South Africa.

“They (India) definitely missed somebody like Sir Ravi Jadeja. I just think he is a wonderful cricketer. He can control the game with his left-arm spin. He is brilliant and he can also bat,” said Steyn on Star Sports.

Jadeja hasn’t been part of India’s white-ball series against West Indies for three ODI matches and as many T20Is.

Also Read: Revealed: Why Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja & Mohammed Shami Aren’t Part Of India’s Squads For Home Series vs West Indies