Former India all-rounder and head coach Ravi Shastri has stated that Australia batter Steve Smith is India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja’s bunny. Jadeja dismissed Smith as India beat Australia by six wickets on the Chepauk Stadium in Chennai on Sunday, October 8.
ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2023: Full Coverage
Speaking to Star Sports, Shastri stated Smith is Jadeja’s bunny, including that batters don’t know which ball will flip and which is able to keep straight. Jadeja dismissed Smith for the eleventh time in his profession throughout codecs.
“Dream dismissal and he has dismissed him 10 to 12 times. He (Smith) is his bunny. It is not that easy to play such a delivery because of the speed at which he bowls. As a batter, you don’t know which ball is going to turn and which ball will go straight,” stated Shastri.
Shastri went on to say that even Jadeja doesn’t know which ball will flip and which is able to go straight, so how will the batter know. Jadeja picked up three wickets towards Australia whereas giving freely simply 28 runs in his 10 overs.
“He (Jadeja) himself said in the interview that he doesn’t know which ball will turn and which will go straight. If he doesn’t know, how will the batter know? So he plays inside the line at times and outside the line on other occasions,” Shastri added.
He went on to say that if Jadeja will get a floor like Chennai, he turns into essentially the most tough bowler to face. Jadeja has now change into India’s third-highest wicket-taker in ODIs towards Australia, having claimed 37 wickets.
“If he plays outside, he becomes leg-before and if he plays inside, it hits the stumps, just like it happened with Smith. It’s not easy as he will trouble anyone. If he gets a surface like this, he becomes the most difficult bowler because his every ball does not turn,” stated Shastri.
Following their win over Australia, India will flip their consideration in direction of Afghanistan, with the 2 sides set to lock horns on the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on October 11.
Edited By:
Rounaq Sehrawat
Published On:
Oct 9, 2023