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Ravindra Jadeja has opened up about one of the toughest parts of his early India career. Ravindra Jadeja revealed that being pushed down the batting order many times affected his confidence and made him wonder whether the India National Cricket Team really trusted his batting ability.
The seasoned Indian all-rounder already knew that he could score big runs, but getting regular chances in the lower order was a difficult experience for him. However, Jadeja slowly developed the confidence and patience needed to play long Test innings.
He made these revelations during the rain break in Galle, where the Indian team was facing Sri Lanka in the first Test. Amid this, Sunil Gavaskar backs VVS Laxman, questions training programmes amid injury debate.
How Ravindra Jadeja's India’s No. 4 dream took a stunning turn
Ravindra Jadeja shared that he used to bat at number 4 at the start of his career. During his Ranji Trophy career, the left-handed batter had an average of more than 60. His numbers in the Duleep Trophy and other first-class matches were also very strong.
Jadeja said while speaking to Sanjay Manjrekar on Sony Sports Network, "So somewhere, I had that belief that I had that ability. But sometimes what happens is that you come into the Indian team and you don't get that batting number.” Amid this, Sai Sudharsan’s Test comeback is impossible after Devdutt Padikkal's ton, feels Ex-BCCI selector.
How batting at No. 8 and 9 destroyed Ravindra Jadeja's confidence
So, the Indian all-rounder always believed that he had the ability to bat well and score big runs if given the opportunity. But things changed after he entered the Indian team.
Jadeja often found himself very low in India's batting order, and many times, he even had to wait until after Ravichandran Ashwin had gone in to bat. And it was a really tough situation for them.
The Indian all-rounder added, “Sometimes the situation is such that I have batted at numbers 8 and 9 as well. So, when you are sitting in the dressing room with your pads on, next to you, a fast bowler is selecting a ball. Seeing all those things, my morale and confidence would go down. Sometimes you think to yourself, ‘I have to go and score runs'.”
Ravindra Jadeja reveals the brutal truth behind his early India struggle
Jadeja had entered the Indian dressing room with confidence because of his excellent domestic record. But when he repeatedly had to bat behind bowlers, he began doubting his own ability, and that mental pressure affected him during the early part of his India career.
The left-arm spinner further explained, “And in that same dressing room, a fast bowler is selecting the ball, thinking, ‘Come on, now bowling is coming.’ So, because of all those things, my confidence was literally disturbed. I would think, ‘Oh man, what is this?
The team doesn't even have confidence in me?’ So, I have seen that in my early days, I didn't get that number. Very low; many times I even went in to bat below Ashwin. So somewhere, all those things disturbed me.”
Well, Jadeja later went on to become one of India's most important all-rounders across the formats, though he retired from T20I cricket in 2024. He continues to add value with both bat and ball in Test and ODI cricket.
