"Another two-three weeks and I will start playing," says Jadhav
Sidelined batsman Kedar Jadhav has revealed the news of his recovery from the injury he sustained in the opening match of the IPL and is now confident of resuming his cricketing endeavors in a time window spanning two to three weeks.
He had hamstring troubles while batting in Chennai Super Kings' chase against Mumbai Indians and had to leave the ground. While he came back in the last over to register a heroic come from behind win for CSK with an iconic six, he was forced out of the remainder of the IPL and the entirety of India's tour of England.
"Rehab (rehabilitation) is good. Another maximum two-three weeks and I will be fit and start playing. I am allowed to bat now also, but because of rain, I am not able to. In two weeks I will start playing," Jadhav remarked during a promotional event.
"It was a recurrent injury. Almost the third time, the same muscle was injured. I got injured first in December against Sri Lanka in Dharamsala, then in South Africa in the third ODI and then again in the IPL."
He labeled the resurfacing of the same affliction as the reason he went to Melbourne to get a more foolproof cure, in form of surgery. He also acknowledged how the team management, and especially captain Virat Kohli kept him encouraged in a time which has been particularly frustrating for him as he missed out on the opportunity to cement his place in the Indian limited-overs side, that began to take shape on the England tour, so as to frame a concrete gameplan ahead of the World Cup next year.
Although, the one piece of the jigsaw that remains unattached in the Indian line-up is the spot for the number four batsman, and to add to it, going with just five bowlers in the ODIs exposed a certain weakness in the bowling.
Jadhav, as he has proved in his 40 match stint with India, can certainly plug himself in both these roles, his ability to hold guard and play shots making him the ideal number four, and to add to that his low-arm skiddy bowling has been the undoing of many a batsman, most notably Kiwi stalwart Kane Williamson.