IND vs AUS 2023: Axar Patel is not able to bowl since Ravindra Jadeja is at his very best – Aakash Chopra

Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra has lauded Ravindra Jadeja for making a solid comeback after injury. Jadeja returned with figures of 10-110, the best of his Test career at Delhi, and helped India register a six-wicket win to take a 2-0 lead in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar series against Australia.

Chopra feels as Jadeja has made a prolific return to the game, Axar Patel hasn’t got much to bowl. Patel bowled 12 overs in the first innings of the Delhi Test and then bowled a solitary over in the second dig as Jadeja and Ashwin did the lion’s share of the damage.

Jadeja has taken 17 wickets in the two Test matches at a splendid average of 11.24 in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar series.

“To be fair, it felt as if Jadeja never went away. In the series where he was not available at home, Axar was taking 5 wickets every time he rolled his arm over. And now Axar is not able to bowl since Ravindra Jadeja is at his very best,” Chopra told ESPNCricinfo.

Furthermore, Jadeja has been at his absolute best with the bat as he scored a crucial knock of 70 runs in the first Test and also scored 26 runs in the second game.

“It is Jadeja’s batting I think which has made him the player he is right now. Just the confidence in his complete skill set, and his entire package has made him a player who has got this immense self-belief. He comes out at bat at 4/5 and scores runs, comes to bowl on Day 1, and picks wickets, which was not his forte in the first half of his Test career.

“In my opinion, it is his batting that has made him the super-confident Jadeja that we see now,” he added.

Jadeja has bagged two Man of the Match awards in the ongoing series as he is ticking the right boxes with both bat and ball for the team. The third Test match between India and Australia will be played at the Holkar Cricket Stadium, Indore from March 1.