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Former India cricketer Sanjay Bangar expressed his strong take on Ravindra Jadeja’s inclusion in the third Test against Australia in the ongoing five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) Test series. It is to be noted that Ravindra Jadeja replaced veteran all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin in the India XI for the third Test, underway at The Gabba in Brisbane.
Speaking after Rohit Sharma-led Team India made two changes in their XI for the third Test, Sanjay Bangar expressed his strong support, hailing him as India’s best spin option in oversea conditions. Notably, while Jadeja was included in place of Ashwin, Akash Deep replaced Harshit Rana in the playing XI after a poor performance in the second Test in Adelaide.
He has been the first choice spinner in overseas conditions: Sanjay Bangar on Ravindra Jadeja
Commentating at the start of the play in Brisbane, Bangar opined Jadeja as the best for India in overseas conditions. "He (Jadeja) has always been the first choice spinner in overseas conditions and that's where India has won a lot of overseas Test matches in recent times, and I was a little bit surprised that, maybe the team management would have got swayed away by the performances of Washington Sundar in the previous Test series against New Zealand, but those conditions were totally different.”
“I'm glad that they resorted to someone like a Jadeja, who may not have to do a lot of work in the first innings. His record as a batter also helps the team get useful runs in the lower order of the innings as well, which has been significant in helping one win overseas matches," Bangar added.
His hunger for big scores defines him as a batsman: Sanjay Bangar on Yashasvi Jaiswal
The 52-year-old did not stop here as he also heaped praise on youngster Yashasvi Jaiswal, who has been crucial in the ongoing Test series. Sanjay Bangar also compared Jaiswal's batting style to that of legendary Sunil Gavaskar, hailing him to be an indispensable player of the team. Speaking on Star Sports, Bangar said, "Two things. One is that he is extremely technically sound, and that means that he's got a great foundation for him to work his way up, and then the temperament part very early in his career. He's gone through lots of a lot of ups and downs in his personal life as well.”
He also added, “Cricket means a lot to him. He's worked hard to be where he is and his hunger for big scores that actually defines him as a batsman. Most of his hundreds so far or all of his hundreds in Test cricket have been scores of about 150 and that tells you the kind of hunger that, as a batter that you wanted to see as a batter in young players. Now, who was an earlier batter of similar calibre? and we had to go a long way back in someone like a Sunil Gavaskar.”
