"Always a really interesting one to talk to" - Brad Haddin recalls old conversation with Ravindra Jadeja
Ravindra Jadeja is considered one of the most accurate left-arm spinners in world cricket. Former Australian keeper Brad Haddin recently recalled how he once talked with the Indian all-rounder about his bowling approach.
Haddin suggested that whenever the Australian spinners would speak to Jadeja, asking him about his plans, he would reply by saying that he only looks to bowl into the stumps, leaving the rest on the pitch.
Speaking on the Willow Talk podcast, Haddin said:
"Jadeja was always a really interesting one to talk to after a Test series. Because all the spinners would go over and say, 'What, are you undercutting the ball? Are you going over the top?'. He goes, 'I just bowl at the stump.' And you go, 'Nah nah nah, what else you do?'.
"He goes, 'I bowl at the stump, the wicket will do it. You guys think it's going to do something.'. 'What about the straight one?' He goes, 'Sometimes it goes straight.'"
Haddin mentioned that Jadeja's words also cast doubt on him while batting, leaving him guessing about which ball would go straight after pitching. On this, he added:
"And you're out there batting, you think, 'Is this the one that goes straight?'. You talk to him afterwards, you go, 'What did you do with that one?'. He goes, 'I just put on the stumps, and that was the one that skid.'."
It is worth mentioning that Ravindra Jadeja has an outstanding record against Australia in Test cricket. The crafty spinner has bagged a staggering 89 wickets from just 17 matches, including five five-wicket hauls and a solitary 10-wicket haul.
Ravindra Jadeja has been in brilliant form in the ongoing five-match Test series between India and England
Ravindra Jadeja has performed admirably with both the bat and the ball in India's ongoing five-match home series against England. He delivered a gutsy 87-run knock in the opening encounter in Rajkot, finishing as the top scorer in his team's first innings.
He also claimed five wickets across two innings in the contest. Jadeja suffered a hamstring injury on Day 4 of the first Test and was ruled out of the subsequent fixture.
The 35-year-old made a fantastic return in the third Test notching up his fourth century in the format. The southpaw scored 112 in the first innings and also picked up a fifer in the fourth innings of the game, helping India secure a massive 434-run win, their biggest ever in terms of runs.
Ravindra Jadeja took a total of five wickets in the recently concluded fourth Test in Ranchi. India have pocketed the series by gaining an unassailable 3-1 lead with one match to go.
The fifth and final Test will be played at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala from March 7 to 11.