Ravindra Jadeja: Plan was to play shots

Ravindra Jadeja during his innings against England on day 4 of the second Test at Lord’s

Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, after his quick-fire fifty that helped the team set an imposing target for England, has said that his plan, while coming out to bat, was to attack the ball.

The 25-year-old, who was booed by the crowd for his match-losing knock in a World T20 match at Lord’s, 2009, against England has come along so well to be now involved in a crucial 8th wicket stand of 99 with Bhuvneshwar Kumar, to leave India in the brink of a memorable overseas Test victory.

"I just wanted to play my game, no matter what the situation was. My plan was to play my shots, irrespective of who the bowler was,” the Saurashtra lad, with three triple centuries to his name in domestic cricket, said after the day’s play in an exclusive interview to bcci.tv.

James Anderson, who was accused of ‘pushing and abusing’ the Indian in the first Test, was also at the receiving end of Jadeja’s aggression when the left-hander hit back-to-back fours in the same over including an incredible lofted shot straight back over the pacer bowler’s head.

Footmarks on the Lord’s deck:

“Defending would not have worked because that's not my game. I kept talking to myself when I went in to bat," said Jadeja. After adding a 57-ball 68 to extend his side’s advantage, Jadeja exploited the footmarks on the pitch when England came out to bat in their chase of 319.

“MS asked me if he should stand far back and suggested I bowled as far as I could. There were two left-handers (Alastair Cook and Gary Ballance) and with the footmarks, it almost worked,” said Jadeja on the Indian captain’s unusual ploy to stand so far back behind the stumps while the spinner was bowling.

Commenting on the exciting last day of cricket to be played at Lord’s, Jadeja, who has now become Dhoni’s go-to man, said that it would not be easy for the home team.

"There are footmarks for the left-handers and the odd ball is bouncing. England will find it difficult on Monday,” he said. England ended day 4 at 105 for 4, 214 runs short of the target set.

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