Saurashtra’s nets session on Monday painted a clear picture of Ravindra Jadeja’s determination to return to the field. In the practice session that lasted over three hours and 20 minutes, Jadeja was one of the two players to get an extended hit at the nets. This was followed by their stretching and fielding drills at the MA Chidambaram Stadium and then a round of batting and bowling at the nets. In between, he was also seen interacting initially with the team and then with individual players.
Given that the last time he played was in the fifth Test against England in Birmingham in July last year, Jadeja will be looking to get game time under his belt before joining the India camp.
When asked about his fitness, he said with a big smile, “I am almost ready.” “I was in NCA [National Cricket Academy] Batting and bowling for 20 days, but the scenario of the match is different. I wanted to play one match before the Australia series, that’s why I am here. Hopefully I will be fully fit to play the first Test.”
As of Monday, he was not feeling any discomfort in his knee, but indicated that he would not bear the full bowling load in the match against Tamil Nadu.
“If you play competitive sport after five months, you don’t feel confident initially,” he said. “But as you go along, you’ll get better and better.
“Injuries are part of the game. In any sport, if you get injured, you have to start from scratch. Same thing in cricket. I was out of action for five months, so again I had to get back to my fitness first. And then slowly once I get fit and once my confidence is back, then definitely I will work on my skills and get better day by day.”
Batting in the nets, Jadeja took a blow on the arm from a side-arm thrower and looked uncomfortable for a while. However, he continued to bat before coming back to bowl.
Talking about the hurdles in his way back from injury, he said: “You feel bad, nobody wants you to get injured in the middle of a big season.
“It’s a part of the game. You have to keep it in mind, and you have to prepare for it. Can’t do anything. There’s no guarantee that nobody will get injured while playing cricket. It’s good now Coming good.” Day by day I am getting that confidence.
“I’ll go slowly [when I’m bowling], Will have to see how my leg is feeling and then I’ll see.”
While away from cricket, Jadeja was busy campaigning for his wife in the Gujarat Assembly elections. He said that during this time he mostly shied away from cricket.
“Luckily, I was busy with some other things,” he said. He said, “My entire focus was there. It helped me a lot. I was not thinking much about cricket. After the injury and the initial three months after my surgery, I was busy with some election stuff. It helped me.” Found.” Very. i wasn’t really looking [India] matches. But I saw some games.”
But at the moment, he is “very excited, looking forward to this game. Hopefully, it will be good as a team and as an individual.”
Srinidhi Ramanujam is the Deputy Editor of ESPNcricinfo
