"Ravindra Jadeja was an ordinary spinner " - Former Pakistan cricketer on Indian all-rounder
Former Pakistani spinner Abdur Rehman believes that Team India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja was a mediocre bowler towards the start of his international career.
Speaking on the "Nadir Ali Podcast", Rehman stated that the credit for Jadeja's success goes to former Indian captain MS Dhoni, as the latter groomed him when he was at the helm of the Indian team.
Acknowledging the Saurashtra-born cricketer's stunning performances in recent outings, Rehman emphasized that Jadeja has now established himself as the best spinner in the Indian lineup.
"Ravindra Jadeja was an ordinary spinner when he made his debut," Rehman said. "He was developed under MS Dhoni's captaincy, which is why he is now number one in the world. He performs well in Test matches as well as in white-ball cricket. He is the best spinner that India have at the moment."
Notably, Jadeja rose to fame at the U19 World Cup in 2007-08. He was instrumental in the Virat Kohli-led side clinching the trophy, bagging 10 wickets from six outings.
He made his ODI debut for India in February 2009 against Sri Lanka. With his consistent performances over the years, Jadeja has now become a mainstay in the team across formats.
Ravindra Jadeja has been in superb form in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy
Ravindra Jadeja has made a fantastic return to international cricket after being on the sidelines for several months due to a knee injury.
The talismanic all-rounder performed admirably with both bat and ball in the first two Tests of the ongoing four-match home series against Australia. He was named the Player of the Match in both fixtures.
Jadeja picked up eight wickets in the opening Test in Nagpur. He also starred with the bat with a gutsy 70-run knock in the first innings of the match.
He continued his stellar form in the subsequent Test in Delhi, completing a brilliant 10-wicket haul. Ravindra Jadeja registered his career-best figures of 7/42 in the second innings of the Test, helping his side bundle out Australia for a paltry score of 113.
With comprehensive victories in the first two games, Rohit Sharma and Co. have gained an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series. The third match between the two nations is set to kick off at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore on Wednesday, March 1.