'One step at a time' for Ravindra Jadeja after missing out on T20 Word Cup, all-rounder provides injury update
Ravindra Jadeja was not included in the Indian team for the T20 World Cup after undergoing a knee surgery.
Ravindra Jadeja was among the notable absentees in the Indian squad for the 2022 T20 World Cup. The all-rounder's recurring knee injury flared up again during the Asia Cup and he had to get a major surgery done on it because of which he was eventually ruled out of the marquee event. Jadeja has been providing updates of his progress on social media. In his latest post, he can be seen standing using crutches with his right leg plastered up.
Jadeja seems to have been discharged from the hospital in this latest photo. In an earlier post, Jadeja could be seen standing using crutches but he was still in a hospital room and wearing a patient's attire. “The surgery was successful. There are many people to thank for their support and involvement - BCCI, my teammates, support staff, physios, doctors and the fans. I will start my rehab soon and try to get back to soon as I can. Thank you to everyone for your kind wishes,” Jadeja had said in that post.
Jadeja captioned Thursday's post by just saying: “One step at a time”. The 33-year-old's unavailability for the T20 World Cup had come as an early blow for India. Jadeja has emerged as a genuinely reliable batter in recent years accross formats in addition to his abilities with the ball and in the field.
Earlier former India cricketer Saba Karim said that Jadeja's return to action won't be an easy one. “It's a tough phase for him because whenever he comes back, he has always done well and for him to get injured at such a critical juncture in his career is not so easy," the former wicketkeeper told Sports18.
The former selector did mention Jadeja to be a naturally gifted player but believes his age won't make it easy for the all-rounder. Karim added: "But I think with age, it may not be easy for him to do that. So I think he needs to go back and work on his rehab and then try and come back. But more importantly, I feel that it’s your mindset, the kind of preparation you do before you come back on the field after your injury.”