Ravindra Jadeja scored a career-best 175 not out during the first Test against Sri Lanka in Mohali and eventually led India to an innings victory with the ball as well but former batter Gautam Gambhir said that the 33-year-old all-rounder may value the half centuries he scored in overseas conditions more. Gambhir said that Jadeja's innings in Mohali is a culmination of the improved performances he has been putting in with the bat across the world.
“I feel the innings Ravindra Jadeja played in Australia or the knocks he has played outside India, he will get more confidence from that. Stats can be very misleading,” Gambhir said on Star Sports.
“There was a time after the century where he was just milking - Dhananjaya de Silva, (Charith) Asalanka and (Lasith) Embuldeniya were bowling but if you talk about Australia or England, the 40 or 50-run contributions there are probably much more important than this innings,” he said.
Jadeja played a crucial role with bat, ball and in the field in India's consecutive Test series wins in Australia and in the incomplete Test series in England last year in which India led 2-1 with one match to go.
{{/usCountry}}Jadeja played a crucial role with bat, ball and in the field in India's consecutive Test series wins in Australia and in the incomplete Test series in England last year in which India led 2-1 with one match to go.
{{/usCountry}}"These 175 runs are the by-product of how Ravindra Jadeja has batted in overseas conditions. You only see the end result but the lead up to these 175 runs, there has been a lot of effort put in that, he scored runs in very difficult circumstances and conditions and that is why he got a chance at No. 6 or No. 7.
“If he had probably not scored runs in those conditions, the team management might have had the temptation to play someone else, probably Ashwin at No. 7. When you come after scoring runs in such difficult conditions, you get opportunities to improve your stats or your Test record,” said Gambhir.