“He’s made a huge impact on our ODI victories” - When Virat Kohli lauded Ravindra Jadeja’s rise after his first full series as captain
In 2013, Virat Kohli lavished praise on Ravindra Jadeja's consistent showing in both departments and credited him for the Indian team's impressive form in the ODI format. Kohli's comments came after his first full series as an ODI captain against Zimbabwe.
The series saw India secure their first-ever five-match ODI series whitewash on foreign soil. Shikhar Dhawan (209) and Kohli (197) were the top batters while Amit Mishra (18) and Jaydev Unadkat (8) ended as the chief wicket-takers.
All-rounder Jadeja garnered 63 runs at an average of 63, with a top score of 48* while taking five wickets at an exceptional economy of 3.51.
Interestingly, Jadeja was the best bowler in the 2013 Champions Trophy, which saw the Indian team emerge as champions. He bagged 12 wickets in five appearances while also being awarded the 'Player of the Match' in the final against England.
With these performances, Ravindra Jadeja rose to be joint No. 1 in the ODI bowlers rankings along with Sunil Narine.
At an event after the Zimbabwe series, Virat Kohli lauded Jadeja's impact on the team's victories and his ability to chip in with contributions in crunch moments, saying:
"I am really happy for Jadeja that he is the No. 1 bowler in the world and he deserves it. He is one of those guys who will always make something happen on the field. When he comes on to bowl, he will probably get you the breakthrough or just control the run flow straightaway. He has made a huge impact on our ODI victories." [H/T ESPNcricinfo]
Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja were key performers in India's 2008 U19 WC triumph
Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja's friendship dates back to their U19 days. Kohli led the Indian team that secured a title victory in the 2008 U19 World Cup. The right-hander was prolific with 235 runs at an average of 47 while Jadeja impressed with 10 scalps in six appearances.
The duo ended their T20I career on a high, after being a part of the 2024 T20 World Cup-winning Indian team.
They are currently key players for India in the bilateral Test series against Bangladesh. Although Kohli returned with scores of 6 & 17 in the first Test, Jadeja scored 86 and took five wickets.
Rohit Sharma and Co. will return to the field for the second Test in Kanpur on September 27.