"He got all five of his wickets in different ways" - Deep Dasgupta lauds Ravindra Jadeja's spell in 1st IND vs AUS Test
Deep Dasgupta has lauded Ravindra Jadeja for adopting different methods to snare five wickets on the first day of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Jadeja registered figures of 5/47 as India bowled out Australia for 177 on Day 1 of the first Test in Nagpur on Thursday, February 9. Rohit Sharma and Co. finished the day at 77/1 in their first innings, with the Indian skipper unbeaten on 56.
During a discussion on Star Sports, Dasgupta was asked about his thoughts on the perfect line and length bowled by Ravindra Jadeja and the patience he exhibited, to which he replied:
"He got all five of his wickets in different ways. When he got the ball to turn, Labuschagne was stumped, and then when it went straight - Steve Smith is an example. If we split it a little further, he was bowling too straight in the first session, he was bowling on the middle and leg stump."
The former Indian wicketkeeper-batter praised the left-arm spinner for altering his line in the post-Lunch session, explaining:
"That is why he didn't get that much success in his first or second spell. When he came in the second session after lunch, he changed his line. He came slightly outside off stump. The balls came in from there with the angle and turned as well."
Jadeja went wicketless in the nine overs he bowled before Lunch. He dismissed Marnus Labuschagne and Matt Renshaw off consecutive deliveries in his second over after Lunch to change the complexion of the game.
"That has been the story of his career" - Deep Dasgupta on Ravindra Jadeja's patience
Dasgupta pointed out that patience has been Ravindra Jadeja's virtue throughout his career, saying:
"So the line adjustment. You talked about patience, that has been the story of his career. He is getting the fruits of patience from the first day till today."
Irfan Pathan was particularly pleased with the way the spin-bowling all-rounder planned Labuschagne's dismissal, explaining:
"The change in line you are talking about was visible in the first over (after lunch). When he dismissed Marnus Labuschagne - he was consistently bowling from an angle at the stumps but after that, when he got the wicket, it was slightly outside the off-stump and he got it to turn. Exceptional bowling with control."
Australia seemed to be gaining the ascendancy when Labuschagne and Steve Smith strung together an 82-run partnership for the second wicket. Jadeja then got one to spin sharply and had Australia's No. 3 brilliantly stumped by Srikar Bharat to bring the hosts back into the game.