"You'll have Jadeja in your dreams because the guy gives you nothing" - Ravi Shastri values Team India spinners as all-time greats of the game
Former Team India cricketer and head coach Ravi Shastri heaped praise on Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, rating them among the best spinners to have ever graced the game.
The pair have been near-invincible, especially in home conditions over the past. The Men in Blue are yet to lose a Test series on home soil whenever the pair have played together.
Much to the chagrin of the opposition, the pair seem to get better with age. They also have an additional vital attribute in the form of their batting, which transforms them into outright match-winners.
Do Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja make India's best XI of all-time? 🤔
Ravi Shastri had his say on the latest episode of The ICC Review 📺
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Terming Ashwin as a favorite to get into the all-time playing XI, Ravi Shastri said during the recent edition of the ICC Review:
"I never compare eras, but the record that he (Ashwin) has - especially in Indian conditions - would make him a favourite to get into that (all-time XI) squad. In Indian conditions he’s something else. I mean, you've seen some great spinners in the past. He's right up there. And the fact that he can get you runs at crucial stages makes all the difference."
Ashwin has had the perfect ally to wreak havoc on the opposition batters in the form of Ravindra Jadeja. The left-arm all-rounder is potent and arguably unplayable when the conditions augur his skillset.
Stating that Jadeja is a nightmare for batters when he gets going, Shastri said:
"He (Jadeja) will start to get the credit (he deserves) now. There's no question about it. The last year, year-and-a-half, he's been simply outstanding because he's realised his potential.He gives you nothing and it's a nightmare (for opposition batters). Especially if you're not in good form, and you are in the opposition as a batsman, you'll have nightmares. You'll have Jadeja in your dreams because the guy gives you nothing."
Shastri continued:
"If it’s a track where the ball is up and down, he can be even more dangerous than Ashwin. Ashwin anyway has the guy (with his) skill. But here, this guy (Jadeja) can have you on edge because one ball will skip through, one ball will turn, and he gives you nothing.His accuracy is so good that there are hardly any loose balls on offer.”
Jadeja is currently the No.1 ranked all-rounder in Tests and has been on song in the ongoing series against Australia. He has been adjudged as the player of the match across both Test matches so far and even notched a career-best 7-42 during the second Test in Delhi.
"He is just a fabulous cricketer" - Ravi Shastri on Ravindra Jadeja
Ravindra Jadeja's rise as a cricketer came during Ravi Shastri's tenure as coach of the Indian team. The left-arm all-rounder evolved to be more than just a handy batter as he continued to improve his bowling across all formats.
Absorbing pressure and dictating the tempo are two of the challenges that Australia have identified they need to address when facing India's spin duo of Jadeja and Ashwin #INDvAUS https://t.co/VbQ787Jl9o
Recalling how the management made the decision to promote Jadeja, Shastri said:
"People, and he himself, didn't actually realise how good a player he was until he actually got a couple of big scores in Test matches. I remember we pushed him up the order as well to give him that responsibility and he has not looked back. When you see his technique, he plays the ball late, he plays in straight lines and he is just a fabulous cricketer."
Ashwin and Jadeja will hope to continue their rich vein of form to continue India's dominance over the Men in Yellow in the ongoing Test series.
Do Ashwin and Jadeja make it to the all-time Indian Test playing XI? Let us know what you think.