IPL 2018: 3 reasons why CSK are persisting with Ravindra Jadeja

Once upon a time, Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin were the pillars of CSK bowling line-up. They were the go-to men of Dhoni whenever the team was in need of quick wickets to control the run flow. However, the team management decided to retain only Jadeja ahead of the 2018 auction.

In the ongoing edition, Jadeja’s role in the playing XI remains unclear to the outsiders. In the eight games, he played so far, only once has he completed his quota of four overs (against Delhi Daredevils). He did not get chance to bowl in two games. In total, he had bowled only 14 overs conceding 115 runs with just two wickets to his name. With the bat, he had scored 47 runs from 39 deliveries. In two games, he remained not out in the non-striker end without facing a single ball. Besides, he did not get chance to bat in one of the games.

The above numbers suggest that Jadeja does not deserve a place in the starting XI. However, Dhoni will look to persist with him for the entire tournament. There can be only three possible reasons for Dhoni’s decision to continue with Jadeja. Let us look at these reasons one by one.

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#3 Fielding

Jadeja is still an excellent fielder for CSK

Michael Hussey, the batting coach of CSK, openly admitted a few days earlier that his players might not be the best fielders in IPL. At the same time, he wanted his players to be smart in the field. Even Dwayne Bravo was standing inside the ring instead of his usual long-on position.

Nevertheless, Jadeja is still the finest & best fielder for CSK. Oppositions still fear to take their chances with his quick pickup and bullet arm throw. Even in the match against Mumbai Indians, he took a brilliant catch to dismiss Suryakumar Yadav. Dhoni always believes in the fact that lively fast fielders are the massive asset for a team in any format of the game. Therefore, it is a no-brainer that why Jadeja is still in the starting XI despite his limited opportunities with both bat & ball.

#2 Left-right combinations

Jadeja is the only left-handed batsman in the CSK middle-order

This reason is a long-term norm followed in the century-old history of the game. Apart from Raina, Jadeja is the only other left-hander in the playing XI. Raina is the default No.3 batsman in the squad. With Dhoni batting at No.4 in sublime form, Jadeja usually comes ahead of Bravo who is handling the role of finisher. In case of quick wickets, as in the match against Royal Challengers Bangalore, he will move up the order ahead of Dhoni.

A left-right combination in the crease will always be a headache for the bowlers as they are prone to err in length. In a format like T20, the margin of error is too little. Therefore, a left-right combination will always be a bonus for the batting team. This combination is the same reason why Rohit Sharma frequently changes his batting position while playing for Mumbai Indians.

#1 Handy contribution

Jadeja celebrating the victory after hitting a six against KKR

Jadeja is famous for his handy explosive knocks at the end of the innings. Besides, his quick arm bowling action will fetch him valuable wickets at crucial junctures. However, he lacks consistency, which is his only major weakness. Nevertheless, he is always a handy player for any team.

In the match against Kolkata Knight Riders, he hit a massive six to seal a victory for his team with just a single ball left in the game. In the last match against Delhi Daredevils, he picked up the crucial wicket of Glenn Maxwell. At the same time, one has to accept the fact that he did not get adequate opportunities with the bat in this season.

No one apart from the team management had better knew the capability of Jadeja. Besides, there is no other experienced player in the CSK squad to replace him. Therefore, it is unfair to lay down so much criticism on Jadeja and debate about his role in the team. All one can do right now is to sit back, relax and enjoy the quality of cricket displayed by the men in yellow.