"Cricket is his top priority" - Ravindra Jadeja's wife Rivaba opens up on the all-rounder's phenomenal comeback from injury
Ravindra Jadeja's wife Rivaba recently expressed her happiness over the all-rounder's fantastic all-round performances in the first two Tests of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy between India and Australia.
Rivaba noted that the talismanic all-rounder's positive attitude has played a significant role in his success in international cricket. Speaking about the player's return from a knee injury, she mentioned that Jadeja had put in a lot of hard work at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru to regain full fitness after being on the sidelines for nearly five months.
"Ravindra is a very positive player, and his mindset is also very positive," Rivaba told ANI. He steps onto the field with a lot of intent and a positive attitude. That is his biggest strength. Cricket is his top priority and he is very attached to the game.
"He did his rehab at the NCA, and the BCCI coaches and physios helped him a lot there. He has completed 14 years in international cricket now. He understands his strengths and has worked a lot on them during this time, and the outcome is right before our eyes."
Notably, Ravindra Jadeja was out of action due to a knee injury that he sustained during the Asia Cup last year in August. He underwent surgery before beginning his rehabilitation.
Rivaba highlighted that returning from such an injury was very challenging for the player, both mentally and physically. She also expressed her delight at Jadeja's impressive batting and bowling exploits in the ongoing series, adding:
"I am very happy with his efforts and the way he contributed to the team. He has made a fantastic comeback. He made a comeback after an injury, and I am very much happy with his performance.
"As a player, when you suffer an injury that needs to be treated with a major operation, it is very difficult to make such a comeback. It is very challenging, both mentally and physically, because you don't know how your body will react after the injury."
Jadeja has been India's top performer so far in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The 34-year-old was adjudged the Player of the Match in the first two Tests of the series.
He registered his career-best Test figures of 7/42 in the second innings of the recently concluded Delhi Test and finished with a 10-wicket haul. He has bagged 17 scaps in the series and has also scored 96 runs (two innings) at an average of 48.00.
"Lets his game do all the talking" - Rivaba Jadeja on how Ravindra deals with criticism
Rivaba Jadeja further stated that the Saurashtra-born cricketer doesn't like to respond to his critics with words, and instead likes to silence them with his on-field performances.
She disclosed that instead of replying to the negative comments, Jadeja focuses on his game and works on his weaknesses. Rivaba elaborated:
"He [Ravindra Jadeja] doesn't like to talk a lot and lets his game do all the talking. He gets a lot of positive comments, and he has a few critics too. But instead of speaking about them, he prefers to work on his weaknesses."
Ravindra Jadeja will next be seen in action during the third match of the four-Test series against Australia. The match is set to kick off at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore on Wednesday, March 1.