“Didn’t haven’t had a lot of game time,” Morne Morkel defends Ravindra Jadeja’s inclusion in the Gabba Test despite going wicketless on day 2
After Washington Sundar and Ravichandran Ashwin played in the first and second Test matches, respectively, Ravindra Jadeja got a chance to be part of the team in the third Test.
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Ravindra Jadeja (Via X)
Team India are in a desperate situation at the end of Day 2 of the third Test match of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024/25 at the Gabba in Brisbane. India played three different spinners in the three Test matches. After Washington Sundar and Ravichandran Ashwin played in the first and second Test matches, respectively, Ravindra Jadeja got a chance to be part of the team in the third Test.
However, the all-rounder bowled 16 overs in the day and managed to concede 76 runs without picking up any wickets. India’s bowling coach, Morne Morkel, has, however, backed the left-arm spinner. The bowling coach said that Jadeja hasn’t had much match practice ahead of this game, but they trust in his abilities to deliver based on the number of wickets that he has taken in his Test career.
Morkel said that the team management, along with captain Rohit Sharma, took the decision to include Jadeja in the playing XI to add variety to the bowling attack as the left-arm spinner. He also praised Jadeja’s abilities with the bat down the order and backed him to deliver with the ball despite any results on the third day.
Jaddu, coming into this match didn’t haven’t had a lot of game time, but he’s also a guy who has taken a lot of Test wickets. He’s a very experienced player and we just felt we wanted to bring in the left-arm option as something different, you know, sitting with Rohit. Jaddu is a guy that can also offer us a lot with the bat, unfortunately, today if you know it wasn’t his day as a spinner. But, yeah, Jaddu for me is a world-class player and you know he’ll work it out.
Morne Morkel said at the end of Day 2 of the Brisbane Test
Jasprit Bumrah scalped five wickets with the ball for India. Mohammed Siraj and Nitish Kumar Reddy picked one wicket each. Bumrah was the lone difference-maker for India yet again with the ball.
Morne Morkel defends Rohit Sharma’s decision to bowl first after winning the toss
After Australia scored 405 runs in the first innings, critics raised questions on Sharma’s decision to bowl first after winning the toss. Morkel feels that the team needs to take out the positives from the innings and put his faith in the batters to deliver with the bat.
He said that it is a new ball surface, and hence the Indian batters need to stay switched on, negate the threat of the new ball, and score big runs in the second innings.
But unfortunately we are on the other side of it and we just need to take the positives out of it. So, when we do get that opportunity tomorrow it’s about getting through the new ball because I honestly feel like it’s a bit of a new ball surface. For us it’s important now to put today aside and get our minds switched on and stay strong for a big batting innings.
Morne Morkel said
India have to score big in their first innings and get out of the batting difficulties that they have suffered in three out of the four innings that they have played in this tour. However, the weather forecast for the rest of the Test match looks poor with the series level at 1-1.
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Rohit Sarkar
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