[WATCH] “Axar ko bowling nahi dena hai isliye aisa ball dal rahe ho kya?” - Team India all-rounder in hilarious conversation with Ravindra Jadeja
Team India all-rounder Axar Patel was involved in a hilarious conversation with Ravindra Jadeja following the hosts’ six-wicket win over Australia in the Delhi Test on Sunday, February 19. In a light-hearted tone, Axar asked Jadeja whether he bowled so well to keep the former away from the bowling crease.
Jadeja has made a sensational comeback to international cricket after a five-month injury layoff following knee surgery. He has been Player of the Match in both of India’s wins over Australia in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
The 34-year-old claimed seven wickets and contributed 70 runs in the first Test in Nagpur. In Delhi, he picked up 10 wickets, including a career-best of 7/42 in the second innings, and also contributed 26 with the willow.
While Axar has scored half-centuries in both Tests, he has only bowled a handful of overs and has a solitary wicket to show for his efforts. In a post-match interaction following India’s three-day win in Dehli, Axar had a fun exchange with Jadeja. While interviewing the all-rounder on bcci.tv, he asked:
“Sir, meri to bowling aa nahi rahi hai. Axar ko bowling nahi dena hai isliye aisa ball dal rahe ho kya? (Sir, are you bowling like this so that Axar doesn’t get a chance to bowl?)
On a serious note, Jadeja replied that on Indian wickets, the role and responsibility of spinners increase. Sharing his thoughts on his success, he elaborated:
“They [the Australians] prefer playing the sweep and reverse sweep. My effort was to bowl stump to stump. If they miss and the ball stays low, then the ball is bound to hit the stumps. That’s what happened today when five balls hit the stumps.”
Australia resumed their second innings on Day 3 in Delhi at 61/1. However, Jadeja ran through the Aussie batting as the visitors folded up for 113. India chased down the target of 115 with six wickets in hand.
“Discussion between me and Virat was to play as straight as possible” - Jadeja on crucial stand
Responding to Australia’s first-innings total of 263, India were in trouble at 66/4. Jadeja (26) and Virat Kohli (44) lifted the hosts with a fifth-wicket stand of 59. Asked about their mindset during the tense phase, Jadeja replied:
“The situation was slightly tough at that time as we had lost three-four wickets early. When I went in, I wanted to give myself some time and build a partnership. On this wicket, you can get a good ball anytime. But I kept believing in my defense and played deliveries by keeping the bat ahead of the pad.
“The discussion between me and Virat was to play as straight as possible. The ball wasn’t bouncing a lot and some of the deliveries were keeping low.”
After Jadeja and Kohli’s departure, Axar (74) and Ashwin (37) added 114 for the eighth wicket to take India close to Australia’s first-innings total.