"He and Ashwin will form a threatening combination"- Former Pakistan cricketer on Ravindra Jadeja
Former Pakistan cricketer Rashid Latif feels Team India will be relieved to know that Ravindra Jadeja is fit to play the first Test against Australia at Nagpur from Thursday. The all-rounder cleared the fitness Test after recovering from a long-term knee injury.
Jadeja's absence meant that India went into the T20 World Cup without that much-needed balance. His importance in Test cricket is arguably even more because of the way he has taken his batting to the next level. Latif feels that him bowling well to the left-handers will also help the hosts.
In a recent video on the YouTube channel 'Caught Behind', Rashid Latif explained what a fit Ravindra Jadeja means to the Indian team. He said:
"Ravindra Jadeja's absence proved to be costly for India in the T20 World Cup. He is their main player in white-ball cricket too across all three departments. So his comeback will definitely bolster the Indian team as he bowls well to left-handers as well. He and Ashwin will form a threatening combination."
Rashid Latif picks third spinner alongside Ravindra Jadeja and Ashwin
The Indian team management will have a good headache of choosing a third spinner to partner with Jadeja and Ashwin. While Kuldeep Yadav is in fine form, Latif wants India to pick Axar Patel as their third spinner.
Recalling Axar's heroics against England in 2021, the former cricketer stated:
"Along with Jadeja and Ashwin, I feel they will play Axar Patel as the third spinner. This is because you need accuracy in Tests and finger spinners can provide that. He already has 47 wickets in Tests at a ridiculously good average of 14, which no one will be having at the moment."
Test squad for the first two Tests against Australia: Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KS Bharat (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), R. Ashwin, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Suryakumar Yadav.