World Cup 2023: Chennai was a Test match bowling wicket, says Ravindra Jadeja after win vs Australia

India defeated Australia in their first match of the World Cup 2023 on Sunday, 8 October.

India, after bowling out Australia for just 199 in the first innings of the match, chased the target down in 41.2 overs in a tricky pitch in Chennai.

In the first innings of the game, India spinners ran the show, picking up 6 wickets between themselves. From 100/2 in, Australia went back into the hut for 199, after playing 49.3 overs. In the second innings however, Australia pacers found seam and bounce in the first powerplay and wiped out three of India’s top four batters for a duck. However, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul combined to form a gritty partnership and took India over the line.

Speaking at the press conference after the game, India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja called the Chennai pitch a Test wicket and said that he relied on the natural variation of the deck to get wickets.

“When I started the first over, the ball was stopping after falling a little slow. I thought it was the afternoon, it was hot and the wicket was dry. I thought a stump-line would be better. From here some balls would turn, some would go straight so it won’t be easy for the batsman to line up. This was my plan that I should bowl at the stumps and luckily the ball to Smith turned a little more,” Jadeja said at the press conference after the match.

“So, my plan was simple I was thinking that this is a Test match bowling wicket. I shouldn’t experiment too much because everything was happening in the wicket. So, I was trying to bowl it stump to stump,” he further added.

Asked about the turning point of the match, Jadeja stressed that it was the wicket of Steve Smith. Australia were trying to stage a fightback with Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschange, but a brilliant ball from Jadeja castled Smith in the 28th over of the game.

“I think that was the turning moment, you know, when you get a wicket like Steve Smith from there onwards it was not easy to just come in and rotate the strike for the new batter. So, I think that I would say that wicket was the turning point. From there onwards, they were 119 – 3 and 199 all out. I think, yeah, I would say that was the turning point. And yeah, it helped me, because I knew the conditions in Chennai. I’ve been playing here for like 10-11 years so I know the how conditions in this ground. So, I think I enjoyed and whatever I contribute to the team I always feel happy,” the all-rounder concluded.

India will next play Afghanistan on 11 October, at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.