The retirement of key Indian cricketers, which included Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravindra Jadeja, has created huge gaps that need to be filled. Each of these players has been an integral part of cricket in India for over a decade. Therefore, not having any one of these three available in T20Is is a risky situation.
Of the three, Jadeja’s retirement is more important because he was an all-rounder. His importance is because of his consistency, both with the bat and with the ball.
Challenge for India to Replace Ravindra Jadeja in T20Is
For the vacancy that Jadeja leaves, India is looking at the likes of Axar Patel and Washington Sundar. One knows that Axar has made a strong case for this slot due to his all-round skills. However, Washington Sundar, too, is being viewed as Jadeja’s replacement. Sundar, who is currently on tour in Zimbabwe, was asked if he was ready to step into the shoes to steal the spot of Jadeja.
Asked if he ever thought of covering Jadeja’s slot, Sundar said he focused more on personal preparation. He said:
I need to do well where I am good at and what I am capable of, especially with my preparation. I need to give my 100 percent every single day. That’s something which I have not compromised on.
Sundar feels this opportunity to represent India is a blessing. He says what matters is consistent preparation and improvement. He further added:
It’s a great opportunity for me to play for India, and I am blessed with it. I need to keep my job consistently and keep preparing and keep getting better. That way everything will be taken care of.
Sundar is doing well in the series against Zimbabwe. His returned figures of 3/15 helped India defeat Zimbabwe to go 2-1 up in the five-match series being played in Harare. India’s innings against Zimbabwe were marked by tough resistance from its openers, Yashasvi Jaiswal and skipper Shubman Gill. Both of them made a partnership of 67 runs.
Chasing 183, Zimbabwe was in trouble early on with their score at 39 for 5, but a 77-run stand between Dion Myers and Clive Madande set them back on track. Myers remained unbeaten at 65 off 49, while Madande struck 37 off 26 balls as the match almost ran out of hands for India. However, Zimbabwe could only manage 159/6 in 20 overs.
Indian Bowlers’ Comeback
The Indian bowlers returned in time to nip the Zimbabweans in the bud. It was Sundar’s bowling, coupled with the bits and bobs of the other bowlers, that ensured Zimbabwe did not get the target. This victory brought out the fact that, despite the absence of players in this current Indian team, there was some hidden potential.
Now, the Indian team takes more care in finding and grooming the right talents to fill up the space that has been left at this point by all its retired stars. It’s not easy, but then players like Sundar and Patel start to show promise.
It is not that easy to replace a player of Jadeja’s caliber. But through constant preparation and performance, many of the players have the opportunity to make big contributions, with Sundar being one of them. With new rising talent ready to take up responsibility, the future in T20Is also looks brilliant for the Indian cricket team.
Also Read: Nitish Kumar Reddy’s Journey: From IPL 2024 Stardom To National Recognition
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