Ravindra Jadeja best Indian fielder of this decade, opines R Sridhar
India's fielding coach R Sridhar believes that Ravindra Jedeja is the best fielder that India has prodcued in the decade. Jadeja's all-round ability, including his gun fielding, has proven to be a valuable asset for the team, making him a regular again in all three formats of the game.
Be it direct hits, sharp ground fielding or astounding catches, Ravindra Jadeja has been an absolute gun on the field and on many an occasion has produced moments of magic with his hands to produce timely breakthroughs for the team. One person who has been impressed with Jadeja's fielding ability is fielding coach R Sridhar, who believes that the Saurashtra man is the best fielder India has produced in the last decade.Â
"Jaddu's presence on the field lifts the team's spirits. He is someone who can keep the opposition on their toes with his fielding. He has an intimidating presence on the field," R Sridhar told TOI.
"I wouldn't like to go very far but in the last decade or so Jadeja has been the best fielder India has had," he further added.
India's fielding standard has increased substantially over the years, especially after Virat Kohli's fitness regime that was introduced in the team. The world is now witnessing a fitter Indian team and Sridhar believes that fitness is one of the main reasons for the drastic improvement in the Indian fielding, something that has helped India compete with the best on the international stage.
"In my opinion, the perception of Indian fielding has changed in the last few years. Faf (du Plessis) lauded Indian fielders' dominance over South Africa. Even during the World Cup, the opposition captains spoke highly about our fielding," said Sridhar.
"I think the focus for that has come from the top as to what (coach) Ravi Shastri or Virat wants. The change has been in two areas: mindset and fitness. Changing the mindset is pertaining to what the teams want to achieve, and fitness was a crucial part of that," he added.
When further asked about the best fielders in the world currently, along with Jadeja, he took the name of the Indian captain, while also mentioning the likes of Martin Guptill and Glenn Maxwell, who, like Jadeja, can produce moments of magic with their fielding ability.
"Jadeja, Martin Guptill, Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell - these four come to my mind. These players can be placed at the infield or in the outfield as they possess high levels of athleticism," he concluded.
