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Rahul Dravid lifts the lid on Ravindra Jadeja's availability for T20 World Cup after Asia Cup rule out
India head coach Rahul Dravid later on Saturday evening, ahead of the team's Super 4 clash against arch-rivals Pakistan in Dubai on Sunday, lifted the lid iver Jadeja's availability for T20 World Cup.
Indian cricket team on Saturday were hit by a massive blow as senior all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja was reportedly ruled out of the impending 2022 T20 World Cup as he is set to undergo a major knee surgery which will subsequently keep him out of action for a indefinite period. Jadeja was earlier ruled out of India's ongoing Asia Cup campaign in the UAE with BCCI naming Axar Patel as his replacement. But India head coach Rahul Dravid later on Saturday evening, ahead of the team's Super 4 clash against arch-rivals Pakistan in Dubai on Sunday, lifted the lid over Jadeja's availability for T20 World Cup.
With the flexible bating ability, left-arm spin bowling and top-notch fielding, Jadeja provides India the perfect balance in the line-up in the T20 set-up. But the 33-year-old all-rounder was on Friday ruled out of the Asia Cup owing to a knee injury. A day later, PTI reported saying that he would be missing the World Cup in Australia later in October owing to a surgery on his knee.
"Jadeja's right knee injury is pretty serious. He is supposed to undergo a major knee surgery and will be out of action for indefinite period of time. At this point, if one goes by the assessment of the NCA's medical team, one can't put a timeline on his imminent international comeback," a senior BCCI official told PTI on the condition of anonymity.
However, Dravid has kept his hopes high for the return of Jadeja to the side.
"Jadeja, he has injured his knee. Obviously he is ruled out for the Asia Cup. He's under the care of the medical team, he has gone to see the doctors, he has gone to see the experts," Dravid said. "The World Cup is a fair way away, so we don't want to jump to any conclusions and rule him out or rule him in. We'll see how it goes."
"It's part of sports. People get injured. It's part of our job to try and manage them, manage how it goes. A lot will depend on the rehab and the severity of the injury. We'll see how it goes," he added.
Jadeja was part of both of India's group-stage matches in Asia Cup and had played a crucial knock in the match against Pakistan, stitching a key stand alongside Player of the Match Hardik Pandya.
"I don't want to rule him out or make too many comments until we have a much clearer picture and we have a better idea. Specially the World Cup is 6-7 weeks away now," the India head coach concluded.
