After Mauling By Pakistan In 2017, Jadeja Still In The Fray For A Champions Trophy Berth!

Incredibly, left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja is in contention for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 after being dumped by the wayside following his 8-0-67-0 returns in the 2017 final against Pakistan at `The Oval’ London. He, along with off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin (10-0-70-0), were dropped after Pakistan amassed 338 for four and won the final by 180 runs. Jadeja and Ashwin travelled to the West Indies immediately after the final on June 18, 2017. However, Jadeja was not picked again until the Asia Cup in September 2018; after a gap of 14 months, Ashwin was cast away for four and a half years. But even after his recall, he played only five more ODIs, with the then-team management opting for the wrist spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav. While Ashwin has taken a final bow from international cricket, the 36-year-old Jadeja still competes with a fellow Gujarati from Nadiad, Axar Patel, for India’s immediate ODI campaigns, including the Champions Trophy matches in Dubai. The rough and tough all-rounder from Jamnagar has taken 65 wickets @37.69 after the forgettable final in 2017. Axar, who will turn 31 on January 20, has taken 64 wickets @32.56 in 60 matches. The national selection committee may have been disappointed that Patel was not being played on spin-designer pitches against New Zealand in Pune and Mumbai. He was the first choice to replace Ashwin in Australia. Jadeja (4 matches in seven wkts) has played at the Dubai International Stadium, and Axar hasn’t. The selection committee may pick both for the CT2025; it depends on chinaman (left arm wrist spinner) bowler Kuldeep Yadav’s recovery from a groin-related issue. But to be in the fray after a mauling by the Pakistan batters in 2017 speaks of Jadeja’s unyielding attitude to compete at the highest level.