Why is Ravindra Jadeja not playing today's IND vs SL 1st T20I?
Senior all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is not aa part of the Indian team for the first T20I against Sri Lanka, which is being played at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Saturday, July 27. The 35-year-old versatile cricketer featured in India's 2024 T20 World Cup final playing XI, which the Men in Blue won by seven runs, beating South Africa at the Kensington Oval in Barbados.
Following Team India's triumph in the 2024 T20 World Cup, which ended their 11-year-old drought in ICC events, Jadeja announced his retirement from the T20I format.
This was the third big announcement after India's victory in the T20 World Cup final. Before Jadeja, senior batter Virat Kohli and skipper Rohit Sharma had also confirmed that they had played their last T20I for India.
While Team India were unbeaten in the 2024 T20 World Cup played in the West Indies and the United States, Jadeja had an underwhelming tournament. The left-handed batter registered scores of 0, 7, 9*, 17* and 2.
With his left-arm spin, he managed only one wicket in the entire World Cup, which came against Afghanistan in Barbados. He registered figures of 1-20 in three overs.
Axar Patel, the other spin-bowling all-rounder in the Indian team, outshone Jadeja by some distance.
Axar scored a crucial 20 against Pakistan in the group stage after being promoted in the batting order. The left-hander also contributed 47 off 31 in the final against South Africa. After India had lost three quick wickets, Axar came and wrestled the initiative back, hitting one four and four sixes.
The 30-year-old also made a crucial impact with his left-arm spin, picking up key scalps at crucial intervals. Axar was the Player of the Match for his figures of 3-23 in the semifinal against England in Guyana. He also took a spectacular catch to dismiss Mitchell Marsh in the Super 8 clash against Australia at Gros Islet.
A glance at Ravindra Jadeja's T20I career
Taking a close look at Jadeja's T20 international career, the all-rounder played 74 matches for India in the format, scoring 515 runs at an average of 21.45 and a strike rate of 127.16. The left-hander never managed a half-century in T20Is, finishing his career with a best of 46*.
With the ball, the left-arm spinner picked up 54 wickets at an average of 29.85 and an economy rate of 7.13. He had a best of 3-15, which was registered against Scotland in Dubai in the 2021 T20 World Cup.