In the much-anticipated ODI World Cup 2023 opener, India faced off against Australia, a contest that always promises high-octane cricketing action. The match did not disappoint, with India securing a commendable six-wicket victory at the Chepauk Stadium in Chennai on Sunday, October 8. While the batting duo of Virat Kohli and KL Rahul played a pivotal role, it was the spin wizardry of Ravindra Jadeja that truly stole the show.
Ravindra Jadeja's enigmatic secret against Steve Smith
India's spin maestro Ravindra Jadeja has always been a force to reckon with. His bowling performance against Australia, particularly against the batting stalwart Steve Smith, was nothing short of mesmerising. When probed about the strategy behind his success against Smith, Jadeja, with his signature flair, responded, "No, no, I will not tell you. You will print it in English and they will understand. No, I won't tell you this."
Over the years, Jadeja has managed to outfox Smith on a staggering ten occasions across various formats. His latest dismissal of Smith was a masterclass in spin bowling. Delivering a ball of impeccable length, it pitched perfectly on the middle stump, only to take a sharp turn, leaving the star batter dumbfounded. Smith could only look on as the ball evaded his bat, ultimately shattering the off-stump.
Decoding Jadeja's strategy
Reflecting on Smith's dismissal, Jadeja shared, "When I started the first over, the ball was stopping after falling a little slow. I thought it was the afternoon, it was hot and the wicket was dry. I thought a stump-line would be better. From here some balls would turn, some would go straight so it won't be easy for the batsman to line up."
"This was my plan that I should bowl at the stumps and luckily the ball to Smith turned a little more. So, my plan was simple I was thinking that this is a Test match bowling wicket. I shouldn't experiment too much because everything was happening in the wicket. So, I was trying to bowl it stump to stump," he further elaborated on his game plan.
Jadeja's onslaught continues
With Smith's dismissal, Jadeja's momentum was unstoppable. Marnus Labuschagne, another key player in the Australian lineup, was the next to fall prey to Jadeja's spin. An attempted sweep shot by Labuschagne resulted in a faint edge, promptly caught by the vigilant KL Rahul behind the stumps.
In a display of sheer dominance, Jadeja claimed his third wicket shortly after, trapping Alex Carey leg before wicket and sending him back without troubling the scorers.
R Ashwin and Kuldeep Yadav: The supporting cast
While Jadeja was the star of the show, he was ably supported by his fellow spinners. Ravichandran Ashwin secured figures of 2/34 in his quota of 10 overs. Similarly, Kuldeep Yadav contributed with figures of 2/42 in his 10 overs. Together, this spin trio formed a formidable attack, leaving the Australian batters stuck in the middle overs.
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