3 reasons why India should drop Ravindra Jadeja from their 2024 T20 World Cup playing 11
India prepare to take on Canada in their final group stage game in the ongoing ICC Men's T20 World Cup at the Central Broward Ground in Lauderhill, Florida, USA on Saturday, June 15.
The Men in Blue have been unbeaten in the three games they have played so far in this tournament and will be keen on making it four in a row ahead of their Super Eight fixtures.
Canada do not have any hopes of qualifying for the next stage of this tournament, and despite having beaten Ireland earlier, will be playing purely for the pride and honor of competing against India in this match.
India seem to have a flawless side at their disposal and appear to have covered all their bases. However, the form of all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has worried the team management a bit.
Although the Saurashtra star had a decent IPL for the Chennai Super Kings, he has not quite been his best self either with the bat or ball in hand. We think it is high time that the management gave him some rest.
In this listicle, we take a look at three reasons why India should drop Jadeja from their playing XI.
#1 He is not in the best of forms
Jadeja has not been in the best of forms of late and seems to be struggling. While he has not been able to up the ante coming in to bat lower down the order for India, his bowling has also gone the distance on flat tracks.
Jadeja had a more than decent IPL, scoring 250-plus runs which must have given him some confidence.
However, he has looked dodgy in this tournament. His form with the ball too has been average at best and it might be a good idea to give him a bit of a rest from the firing line.
#2 Someone else can come in his place
What Jadeja's absence from the side will do is thrust someone else into it, and this may be a blessing in disguise for India.
As Canada are not quite expected to be the most challenging of opponents for the Men in Blue on Saturday, it will be handy to test out the likes of either Yashasvi Jaiswal or Yuzvendra Chahal against them. Even Kuldeep Yadav, who has not got game time in this tournament, might be given a go, and he is known to draw attention whenever he rolls his arms over.
Jadeja might also do with a mental break amid the relentless nature of modern-day cricket.
#3 Skipper Rohit Sharma trusts Axar Patel more
It has been made amply clear to Jadeja that skipper Rohit Sharma prefers Axar Patel over him.
Even in the game against Pakistan when left-arm seamers Mohammad Amir and Shaheen Afridi were getting the ball to swing back into the right-handers, Sharma sent southpaw Patel at number four to counter the movement in the air.
Jadeja might provide a handy option with the bat lower down the order, but fellow Gujarati Patel has etched a place for himself in the side as the number-one spin-bowling all-rounder in the side at the moment.
Jadeja will want to take some time off and return with renewed vigor.