"Fake friends believe in rumors" - Ravindra Jadeja debunks Test retirement reports in syle
Perhaps taking a cue from Virat Kohli, Indian spin all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja also decided to debunk some rumors floating around in the media.
Out of nowhere, some media houses had recently claimed that Jadeja was contemplating retirement from Test cricket to prolong his white-ball career. These reports had assumed significance in light of a ligament tear he suffered during a Test match against New Zealand that ruled him out of the entire South African tour.
Taking to Twitter on Wednesday, Jadeja posted a couple of inexplicit messages, apparently targeted at the reports. The first was a quote saying:
"Fake friends believe in rumors. Real friends believe in you."
https://t.co/DAXGbZRGI4
It was followed by a picture of the 33-year-old in India's whites, with a succinct caption reading:
"Long way to go."
Long way to go💪🏻💪🏻 https://t.co/tE9EdFI7oh
Many cricketers in the past have chosen selective retirement from the Test format as the way to go in their careers. The latest high-profile case was of England all-rounder Moeen Ali, who called the curtains on his 64-Test career in September.
However, such instances in Indian cricket have been few and far in between, despite the ever-rising popularity of T20 cricket and the opulent IPL.
"He will be missed" - Virat Kohli on Ravindra Jadeja
Virat Kohli's comments about Jadeja almost got lost in the clamor that has followed his explosive statements about the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the selectors.
The Indian red-ball captain remarked that his team will miss the "invaluable" contributions from the International Cricket Council's (ICC) third-ranked all-rounder. However, he also said that Jadeja's absence would be an opportunity for youngsters instead of a decisive blow to India's chances of a series win. Kohli said:
"Jadeja has obviously been a very, very important player for us. He contributes in all three departments of the game, which is invaluable especially in overseas conditions. He will be missed."
He added:
"But having said that, we do have quality in the side to be able to create the best combination possible on the field for us and still be in positions to win Test matches because we have created that kind of bench strength and environment where people coming in are seizing their opportunity and making sure the team is helped by their performances. As much as we will miss him, I don't think that will be a deciding factor in the series or moving forward. He is injured and I wish him a speedy recovery and that he comes back soon."
The South Africa Tests will kick off on December 25. Ravichandran Ashwin is expected to play the role of first-choice overseas spinner in Jadeja's absence.