IPL Stats: 3 best spells by Ravindra Jadeja

#2 4/11 v Rajasthan Royals (IPL 2015)

Jadeja celebrates the fall of a wicket

Jadeja endured a rocky start on the bowling front to 2015 as he failed to pick up a single wicket in his first two games, and more importantly, was also bowling at an economy of close to 11.

However, Jadeja was back in his element against KXIP when he picked up 3-22 off four overs, but yet again, a slump in form saw him losing out overs to Pawan Negi, who was slowing making a mark with his spin and big-hitting.

With a four-match drought in picking wickets, Jadeja needed to put in a good performance with the ball, and found just the right opponent. The Kolkata Knight Riders, a team he had tormented in the previous season.

Brendon McCullum, with a 61-ball 81 had taken CSK to 157-5 from 20 overs, and the CSK pacers, who were having a good season, failed to make an impressive start. Mohit Sharma removed Rahane in the fifth over and then the spinners were introduced.

Jadeja came in during the seventh over and struck with his fourth ball, castling Steve Smith with a straight ball. Pawan Negi was taken for 10 runs in the next over until Jadeja tossed the ball up in the last ball of his second over, inviting Watson for a big hit as the ball nestled into Bravo's palms.

Jadeja had now picked two wickets in two overs and with RR needing 87 from nine overs, was asked to bowl his third. As if a pattern, Jadeja induced a false shot off Nair as an attempted sweep found a top edge which was accepted by R Ashwin at short fine leg.

With 68 runs needed off six overs, Jadeja, CSK's best bowler on the day, was back for his final over and struck with his first delivery, removing Deepak Hooda with a loopy delivery. With the RR middle order back in the hut, CSK managed to stem the flow of runs and in the end, win by 12 runs.

Jadeja finished with figures of 4-0-11-4, earning him the Man of the Match award.