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Cricket PlayersWatch - 'What is this shot?': Kohli miffed, Gavaskar irate as Jadeja 'gifts wicket to Australia on platter' in 4th Test
Ravindra Jadeja failed to bank on his start as the middle-order batter was dismissed by Todd Murphy. Virat Kohli and Sunil Gavaskar were not pleased with Jadeja's shot selection as the star batter gifted his wicket in the 4th Test against Australia.
Spearheading India's batting charge with an on-song Virat Kohli on Day 4 of the fourth and final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023 between India and Australia, Ravindra Jadeja failed to bank on his start as the middle-order batter was dismissed in the opening session of the day. Jadeja was outfoxed by Todd Murphy, who enticed the Indian southpaw to play an extravagant shot in the 107th over of the innings at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday.
A mere spectator at the non-striker's end, former Indian skipper Kohli was not pleased with Jadeja after the stat batter's ambitious attempt to attack Murphy backfired in the opening session of the day's play at Ahmedabad. While Kohli cut a frustrated figure, batting legend Sunil Gavaskar slammed Jadeja on-air after India lost its fourth wicket while replying to Australia's gigantic first innings total of 480.
"He has given Australia a wicket on the platter," said Harsha Bhogle, who was on commentary duty when Jadeja’s patient knock of 28 off 84 balls came to an end. Launching an attack on the star all-rounder, former India skipper Gavaskar opined that head coach Rahul Dravid will not be impressed with Jadeja’s shot selection.
"What has happened? Did somebody say anything to him? Suddenly in this particular over, he has gone the aerial route - even the boundary that he hit was uppish, Look at that, Kohli is not impressed, and the change room is not gonna be impressed I can tell you that. Rahul Dravid, the coach, is not gonna be impressed with this shot. And he has played such responsible innings before this. Therefore, this is a shot, hard to understand," Gavaskar thundered on-air during the match commentary on Star Sports.
Prior to his dismissal, Jadeja played a couple of shots that were completely out of character. The star batter had welcomed Murphy with a boundary by clearing the fielder at mid-off. However, Murphy had the last laugh as the Australian bowler picked up the wicket of Jadeja on the final ball of the same over. India were reduced to 309-4 in 107 overs after Jadeja's dismissal.
Jadeja has been in fine form throughout the four-match Test series between India and Australia. After a long break from international cricket, Jadeja made a sensational comeback by leading India to a famous win in the series opener against Australia at Nagpur. The veteran all-rounder was also named the Player of the Match in the 2nd Test that India won by 6 wickets in Delhi. Jadeja has taken 22 wickets and scored 135 runs in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
