Can’t think what would’ve happened if I hadn’t hit the stumps, says Ravindra Jadeja
Despite looking like a man with the plan, Ravindra Jadeja revealed that he was actually nervous during Shimron Hetmyer’s run-out and was lucky to hit the stumps. He also stated that he believes to have made a mark in his ODI return during the Asia Cup where he played a crucial role in the title win.
In a monotonous one-sided affair where India had only been marching on with Windies players failing in almost every department, Jadeja has been the viewers’ only source of entertainment. After his nervy maiden ton, which he attained relying heavily on last man Mohammed Shami, it was Jadeja’s fielding theatrics that provided the only source of entertainment during Windies’ batting. However, although the dismissal looked to be cool on Jadeja’s part, the fielder later revealed that things weren’t really in control as it looked on camera.
“Both batsmen were at the same end, so I thought I can get him (Hetmyer run out) easily. And I kept walking, and suddenly I saw him running and I had to throw the ball at the stumps. It was funny. I can't imagine that (if I'd missed the stumps). I knew if I could go close to the stumps, I could get him," said a smiling Jadeja after the day’s game.
The all-rounder has had a prolific two months on the international circuit. After returning from England at the back of 99-run innings and seven wickets to his name at the Oval, Jadeja was called on to replace the injured Hardik Pandya in the Asia Cup ODI squad. And he impressed there too, by taking seven wickets and scoring 47 runs over four matches, helping India lift the title. Jadeja is hoping to continue well in the limited-over format keeping an eye on the 2019 World Cup.
“I was playing (one-day cricket) after 15 months (in the Asia Cup), I was away from ODI cricket. I got an opportunity in the Asia Cup, got a wicket in the first game. Sometimes you bowl well and don't get wickets. I got an opportunity at a crucial time and I took four wickets in the first game and then played two crucial innings. Hopefully, I can continue playing well,” he said.
The Asia Cup heroics was followed by his first Test ton on Friday where Jadeja’s unbeaten 128, which included some late fireworks amidst a tail end collapse took India over the 600-run mark. Jadeja's innings had five sixes and five boundaries and he admitted that he always believed he could bring his domestic batting form to the international level.
"After nine years of intensive cricket, I'm scoring a hundred. It's been a special moment. Every time I reach 70 or 80, I think about the hundred. Today, I finally crossed the line. I have scored big hundreds in domestic cricket as well. I always knew I could do it,” he concluded.