Don’t think there’s any concern over Jadeja’s form, says Mohammed Siraj

Indore: India pacer Mohammed Siraj played down concerns over Ravindra Jadeja’s recent lean in ODIs, insisting that the veteran all-rounder remains a key figure in their preparation for the series decider against New Zealand, set to happen at the Holkar Stadium on Sunday.

Jadeja’s recent returns with the ball have raised eyebrows, as he has managed just one wicket in his last five ODIs. In the current series against New Zealand, tied currently at 1-1, the spotlight will be on him after going wicketless in Rajkot, where he conceded 44 runs in eight overs.

“I don’t think there is any concern about Jadeja’s form. It is a matter of just one wicket. Once he gets that breakthrough, you will see a different bowler altogether,” Siraj said in the pre-match press conference on Saturday.

He also equalled the decider in Indore to playing a World Cup final. “The atmosphere is very good because we are getting a lot of input from the seniors. We won the first match and then played the second, so it feels like a high-pressure situation, almost like a World Cup final. Such situations are very rare in India, so it is a great opportunity for us.”

New Zealand batting all-rounder Daryl Mitchell has emerged as India’s perennial tormentor, as seen from him making 84 in Vadodara before hitting an unbeaten 131 in Rajkot that earned him the Player of the Match award. Taking out Mitchell early will be the key again for India in Sunday’s decider.

“We tried our best to get him out (in Rajkot). We had a game plan for him. As you can see, even a world-class batter can make mistakes. If we had grabbed that opportunity (that dropped chance of him), the scenario would have been different.

“The way he bats against spin, especially in the middle overs - taking singles and doubles - shows that he is thinking clearly and batting with a plan. In Rajkot, there wasn’t much dew and the ball was coming nicely onto the bat. Our plan was to get him out as early as possible, and we will try to do the same in this match,” said Siraj. IANS

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