It was supposed to be Palam Ground and not Dubai International Stadium. It was supposed to be under the age-old captaincy of Jaydev Shah and not the innovative new-age Rohit Sharma methodology. The modus operandi for the left-arm spinner from Saurashtra, however, was not going to be any different. Ravindra Jadeja is not a cricket tragic, but certainly, the one who swears to give his best each and every time he steps on to the field. Even though he plays a domestic match of no significance in some corner of the country or a Champions Trophy final in England, Ravindra Jadeja approaches the game with same seriousness like every battle is a bloody chance to prove the world wrong.

He last played a limited-overs match in July 2017 against West Indies and returned without a single wicket. Jadeja, along with Ravichandran Ashwin, was "rested" for the Sri Lanka tour and the team management decided to carry out an experiment with Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav in the team with Axar Patel as the back-up spinner. The inclusion of two wrist spinners did wonders and the senior pros were again excluded from the home series against Australia and have continued to be on the sidelines ever since. But the door of opportunity was there and Jadeja unbolted with a thud.

For an instance, let's talk about the dismissals of Shakib Al Hasan and Mohammad Mithun in yesterday's match. Jadeja's full repertoire was on the show. In his first over, he had already gone for a couple of fours and MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma discussed with him and brought Shikhar Dhawan at square leg and got the left-hander out. But the precursor to that ball was what showed Jadeja's strength. The first two balls landed in the same spot as the third one. While the first one thanks to the powerplay in progress was flatter and carved through covers, the second one was swept without inhibitions and suddenly Shakib's ego as a batsman had bloated up. MS and Rohit manned the square leg region and Jadeja again landed it in the same spot. Shakib went for the sweep and it landed in the hands of the fielder. 

Jadeja was just getting started. He struck again and trapped Mithun in the 16th over of the innings. This time used the crease and the angle of his balls to spell further doom for Bangladesh. He was bowling from round the wicket to the right-handed batsman but the one in which he sent back Mithun, he came very close to the sticks at the bowler's end and got it to straighten. And again the previous two balls bowled to Mithun had set him up. The first one bowled from wide of the crease got him lunging forward, the second one widest of the crease only got the batsman thinking that he had to push forward. The deadly arm ball followed and the batsman was hit on the move and trapped! Justice to the fact that he had set him up in the previous over and should have had him as India had not taken the review then thinking it was bat first.

What Jadeja gives to the team is the depth to the Indian batting. He effectively can come on to bat at number seven/eight and whenever needed can play an important role and in case of a batting collapse in a big tournament, his batting prowess can come in handy. In his couple of knocks in the recently concluded Test series in England, there was ample proof that is an improved batsman. He averages more than 70(a few not-outs of course help) in England in 10 ODI innings and has already got a couple of fifties to his name. His knock in the finale of the Champions Trophy was the clincher for India as well.

When you talk about Jadeja, you just can't ignore his fielding. He is a live-wire on the field and his quick and direct hits are effective as well. He is someone who can save at least 10-15 runs on the field and that becomes something really important these days. Modern day games are unforgiving and people who create chances are packages which cannot be ignored. Virat Kohli has always looked for characters and Jadeja is one Kohli can always turn to in times of crisis.