Tom Moody and Irfan Pathan questioned Ravindra Jadeja’s spot in the T20 World Cup because of his concerning strike rate.
Former Australian cricketer Tom Moody has sparked debate about Ravindra Jadeja’s role in India’s T20 World Cup squad. While acknowledging Jadeja’s exceptional left-arm spin bowling, Moody believes his batting might not be suited for the number 7 position.
“I’d be taking Jadeja purely because I’m looking for the best left-arm spinning option. He’s the best left-arm spinner in the country. In my eleventh, he’s not batting at No. 7. I don’t think he’s good enough to bat seven for a World Cup side. He’s proven that with his strike rate. You need an impact-type player batting at seven,” shared Moody on Star Sports, as quoted by NDTV.
Jadeja, who has been sticking with his current franchise, the Chennai Super Kings, since 2012, has not been at his peak this IPL season. In the nine matches he has played so far, he has collected 157 runs at a strike rate of 131.93 and bagged five wickets.
Irfan Pathan, another former Indian cricketer, shared similar concerns. “This is what I’m really scared about when it comes to World Cup. Look, my worry is with T20 WC, we pretty much sorted as far as the top-order batting is concerned. We pretty much sorted in the middle overs as well. If we’re thinking Ravindra Jadeja is a number seven batter, you need a good finisher. His numbers are not that great as far as the strike rate is concerned at the international level,” said Irfan.
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While the top and middle order of India’s batting line-up seems relatively settled, questions remain about their strategy for the later overs. Ravindra Jadeja’s performance in the IPL has raised doubts about his effectiveness as a finisher at number 7.
Although Jadeja’s international T20 record boasts a strike rate of 129.44 across 319 matches, ideally a finisher would offer a higher strike rate. With the crucial T20 World Cup approaching, Indian fans eagerly await the official squad announcement tomorrow, May 1st, which will reveal the team’s lineup for the tournament.
Last Updated on April 30, 2024
