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In the run-up to the eagerly anticipated ODI World Cup hosted in India, there are rising concerns about Ravindra Jadeja's batting performance, as highlighted by India's wicketkeeper-batter, Dinesh Karthik. This observation came to the fore following Jadeja's underwhelming contribution during India's chase of a target of 266 set by Bangladesh in the Asia Cup 2023 Super 4s match held recently in Colombo.
"And Ravindra Jadeja, for his batting. For some time now, he has been phenomenal in Test cricket, very very effective, and trustworthy. But in the white-ball formats, he hasn't been at his best with batting. He is a key player. Whenever he has done well for India, take the 2013 Champions Trophy, take any tournament India has done well, he has been a very critical performer and he needs to step up with the bat. In case, he doesn't have a great game with the ball, India can still manage. But if he is not scoring runs with the bat, it could be an issue for Team India," Dinesh Karthik told Cricbuzz.
During this vital clash, while young sensation Shubman Gill was displaying his prowess with a stellar century, Jadeja's untimely dismissal for a mere 7 runs in the 38th over raised eyebrows. The team was in dire need of an experienced player to support Gill, especially as Suryakumar Yadav's nervous 26-run stint ended shortly. However, Jadeja's attempt to hit a maximum off Bangladesh's left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman culminated in him losing his wicket, a move that many critics viewed as lacking the calculated approach expected of a seasoned player.
The match witnessed some resilience from Axar Patel, who scored a commendable 42, and Gill's commendable knock of 121. However, these individual performances couldn't steer India to victory, resulting in a historic win for Bangladesh over India in the Asia Cup – their first since 2012, by a narrow margin of 6 runs.
Jadeja's batting form has been a growing concern throughout the Asia Cup, with the all-rounder managing to scrape together just 25 runs across three innings. Although Jadeja's primary role in the team has been that of a spin-bowling all-rounder, and the team management has placed immense faith in him, his contributions with the bat have been less than inspiring in the ongoing tournament.
As the countdown to the ODI World Cup begins, the Indian cricket fraternity will be keenly monitoring Jadeja's form, hoping for a return to his batting prowess.
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