Ravindra Jadeja is fully committed while fielding, insists Jonty Rhodes
Jonty Rhodes has stated that Ravindra Jadeja, pretty much like Michael Bevan, is very fast on the field, and applauded him for being fully committed to fielding. The South African has further stated that it is suicidal to drop the catch of Virat Kohli in the longest format of the game.
A useful batsman down the order and a miserly spinner, Ravindra Jadeja’s utility, however, goes beyond that. The uncanny ability to change the course of the game with his surreal fielding display and gobbling those catches which would seem impossible to the naked eye, Jadeja has made himself an undroppable player from the squad. Jonty Rhodes, widely regarded as the best fielder the sport has ever seen, was all praise for the Saurashtra boy when he was Live on Instagram with one of the finest fielders of the yesteryear, Suresh Raina.
"Michael Bevan was extremely fast. He was a middle-order batsman like me and for us, the responsibility was to take the team home. So we made one run to two and were fast in between the wickets. And Bevan was very fast. For most of the time, a direct hit will get you a wicket but not with Bevan. He always reached home," Rhodes told Raina, reported ToI.
"Jadeja like Bevan is very fast in the field and reaches the ball quickly and easily. That's why he doesn't dive much. He is fully committed while fielding. Key to good ground fielding is anticipation and running fast and he has both. Every fielder has to be prepared during the match.”
Although he was one of the fittest and sharpest fielders of his times, the modern-day standard has gone up a few notches, with the players focusing on training as much as they used to for their skillset. Virat Kohli is at the forefront of that revolution and Rhodes heaped praises on the Indian skipper for the way he managed to do that.
"South African players were a good fielding side even during the 1992 World Cup - in which I came to the limelight, which was not the case in other teams. They had only 2-3 good fielders. But things have changed now. Fielding has become the third important part of the game, along with batting and bowling. It gives the player a value addition," Jonty said during the chat.
“For example, catching in Test is just as important. You don't want to give players like Virat Kohli a chance even in a Test match. We have to look at different physical requirements for players, how often they got injured and how much fitness has improved their games. In that scenario, ViratKohli's transformation from a chubby lad after realising the importance of fitness is unbelievable. Not only exercise but to look after his diet. He is the fittest in my opinion,” the Saffer added.
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