Former Indian cricketer questions Jadeja's inclusion in Champions Trophy squad
What's the story
Former Indian cricketer Subramaniam Badrinath expressed surprise over Ravindra Jadeja's inclusion in India's ICC Champions Trophy squad. This is despite Jadeja being one of the three left-arm spinners picked by India, along with Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel. Badrinath, who played with Jadeja for Chennai Super Kings, expressed his doubts about the all-rounder's role in the team during a discussion on Star Sports.
Role uncertainty
Badrinath's doubts about Jadeja's role
Questioning Jadeja's role in the team, Badrinath noted his last ODI appearance was in the ODI World Cup final. He said, "I am honestly surprised Ravindra Jadeja is in the squad. I didn't expect him to be in the squad because there is very little space for him in the XI." "So why would you actually take a player in the squad who might not feature in the actual playing XI? So that is a little bit tricky," he added.
Strategy
India's spin-heavy strategy and Bumrah's fitness
India has been preferring a spin-heavy approach in their white-ball matches under Gautam Gambhir's leadership. This is reflected in their selection for the Champions Trophy, to be held in Dubai. The recent doubts over Jasprit Bumrah's fitness saw mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy get a call-up for the ODI series against England, strengthening India's spin attack even more.
Key player
Badrinath backs Kuldeep Yadav as key player
Despite his reservations about Jadeja's inclusion, Badrinath has expressed confidence in Kuldeep Yadav's abilities. "He (Kuldeep) is brave. He is the best option to go in the middle overs," he said. This endorsement comes after Kuldeep made a successful return from a groin injury during the Ranji Trophy, further strengthening India's spin attack for the Champions Trophy.
Performance
Jadeja's performance and competition for spin-bowling all-rounder
Jadeja recently impressed in the Ranji Trophy, taking 12 wickets against Delhi. However, Gambhir's preference for the first-choice spin-bowling all-rounder remains unclear. Jadeja will likely face competition from Patel, who has recently shown greater reliability in white-ball cricket. This adds another layer of intrigue to India's selection process for the Champions Trophy.
Stats
Jadeja's ODI numbers in brief
The all-rounder has racked up 2,756 runs at an average of 32.42 across 198 matches (132 innings). He owns a strike rate of 85.06, alongside 13 fifties. His highest score reads 87 (vs England). With the ball, he has bagged 220 scalps at an average of 36.07. He owns an economy rate of 4.88. He also boasts seven four-wicket hauls and two five-wicket hauls, including the career-best figures of 5/33.
Squad
A look at India's squad for the tournament
India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja.