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'Ravindra Jadeja reached out to me, even sent a message on Instagram': India star's 'really cool' gesture
A man of his words, star India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja fulfilled a promise he had made to an Australia youngster during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Ravindra Jadeja made a stunning comeback into the Indian team following a long injury lay-off. Playing his first international since September at the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Jadeja was adjudged Player of the Series along with Ravichandran Ashwin as he grabbed 22 wickets including two 5-wicket-hauls and scored 135 runs comprising a half-century. Jadeja rocked Australia in the series opener at Australia claiming 5/47 and hitting a crucial 70 and carried his form into the second Test in Delhi. At the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Jadeja picked up a match-haul of 10 wickets, including a career-best of 7/42.
Such was the impact was Jadeja's performance that Australia's Matthew Kuhnemann reached out to the India all-rounder for tips. The young left-arm spinner, after the second Test revealed how he had approached Jadeja for certain inputs only for him to turn down his request. Jadeja instead told Kuhnemann that he will share tricks only once the series is over. And a man of his words, Jadeja fulfilled his promise. Kuhnemann has lifted the lid on an uber cool gesture from Jadeja after India wrapped up the series 2-1.
"It was probably about 15 minutes, he (Jadeja) was just giving me some awesome tips; we talked about everything. Nathan Lyon helped organise it as well. He (Jadeja) was really impressed with Todd, 'Gaz' and myself so that was really cool to hear that from him. He gave me some good tips for the next time we're in the subcontinent and some tips to go back home with as well. He was really nice and just said any time to reach out, and even sent me a message on Instagram, so that was pretty cool," Kuhnemann told AAP.
Kuhnemann, who flew to India ahead of the second Test after Mitchell Swepson flew back home for the birth of his child, emerged as Australia's star in their nine-wicket win over India at Indore where he grabbed 5/16 as the hosts were shot out for 109. But it was after his debut in Delhi, where he took 2 wickets that Kuhnemann asked Jadeja if he could pick his brains.
"I said, have you got any tips for me after the last Test? He said 'Yes, at the end of the series'," Kuhnemann joked. "The way he uses his crease and probably the biggest thing I picked up in Delhi is that he brings his length back a little bit when the ball gets older. That's probably the main thing I took out of the second Test and brought into this Test, probably my length. Don't want to get full, especially on a wicket that stays low, being consistent on that 5-6 metre length," he had said. "I'm a massive fan of Jadeja and Ashwin so watched how they have bowled in the last few years."
