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Ravindra Jadeja's wife Rivaba Jadeja, a Member of the Legislative Assembly from Gujarat, is being trolled after her husband posted a cryptic tweet following Team India's 2-0 series win over Sri Lanka in Kolkata.
Ravindra Jadeja, one of the key members of the Indian cricket team across formats, has been out of action since last year's Asia Cup in September when he suffered a knee injury. Afterward, the southpaw underwent surgery before resuming training at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru.
His absence, however, opened a window of opportunity for the other Gujarati, Axar Patel in the team. Axar Patel grabbed his chance with both hands, producing outstanding performances with both bat and ball, at least in white-ball cricket.
Meanwhile, the BCCI on Friday, named Ravindra Jadeja in the squad for the first two Tests against Australia next month. But his inclusion in the team is subject to his fitness report.
Yet it is not his inclusion in the squad for the Australia Test series which took social media by storm, rather it was his post on Twitter that gained immense momentum.
After India won the second ODI against Sri Lanka at the iconic Eden Gardens on Thursday, Ravindra Jadeja tweeted, “Don't say anything. Just smile.”
Some claimed that his post was targeted at Gautam Gambhir who recently dropped him from his list of spinners to be chosen for the ODI World Cup later this year in India.
On the other hand, a few mocked him that he should now retire from cricket and focus on politics as his wife is now a lawmaker from his home state.
A few even went on to blame his wife for his state of affairs as he was no longer working hard on his game and instead creating unnecessary controversies with his comments.
हां smile तो करोगे ही wife को पेंशन जो मिलेगा 😂😂
— Panna Lal Yadav (@PannaLa56491758) January 12, 2023
— Ayush Vashistha (@ayushtweets2) January 12, 2023
I do, every time I see you campaigning for your wife.
— I Love Mithunda (@ilovemithunda) January 12, 2023
Team India may bhee apnay biwi ko khila dey gujju
— Sohan Singh (@SohanSi90371086) January 12, 2023
Aap tweet aur political rallies karlo, Axar bhai match khel lenge 🔥🔥
You don't deserve to be in the team because what you have done recently is not acceptable— Tanay (@AreyyTanayyy) January 13, 2023
Ravindra Jadeja's latest Twitter post came after a couple of former India cricketers suggested that he is not being missed by the Men in Blue.
“I believe that whenever Axar Patel has been given opportunities and in whichever format, he has performed exceptionally well. It is a good thing. He has put pressure on Jadeja,” Gautam Gambhir told Star Sports.
“Axar Patel – whether it is T20 or Test cricket – he is putting pressure in every format and today you also got to see the range. I believe the more options you have is better for the Indian team and Axar as well,” Gautam Gambhir added.
Similar sentiments were shared by former India batter Wasim Jaffer as well who opined that it will be a tough road ahead for Ravindra Jadeja if he is make a comeback to the national side in limited-overs cricket.
“India are not missing Jadeja, who has been a phenomenal player in all three formats. But since India have found Axar Patel, we are not talking too much about Jadeja since he's been away. Goes on to show how good Axar has come about as a cricketer. Fantastic,” said Jaffer on ESPNCricinfo.
“At the moment, yes (Axar is India's No.1 spin all-rounder). India are lucky they have got such a like-for-like replacement (for Jadeja) in Axar Patel. He's making the most of it in all formats. He can bowl in the powerplay, which I feel Jadeja does not like. Axar can do it. And If he bats like this, it's debatable,” the former India opener noted.
“In the last game also, he's contributed immensely with the bat. Today (Thursday), he again showed how much he has improved. Massive improvements in Axar as a batter. He's got a pretty good technique. We don't see him slogging too many balls. He’s pretty sure that when he connects, he's going to go out of the park. He targets the spinners, stands still and hits it pretty straight as well,” Wasim Jaffer explained.
Despite rising arguments against his utility in Team India, Ravindra Jadeja has time and again proven that he is a world-class player and deserves a place in the Rohit Sharma-led side.
He will get his chance to shut up his critics next month when he will be playing in the Test matches against Australia in all likelihood.
The allrounder has a great record in the longest format of the game, having taken 242 wickets in 60 Test matches at an outstanding average of 24.71. With the bat, Ravindra Jadeja has 2,523 runs to his name, including three centuries and 17 fifties. His highest score in whites is an unbeaten 175 which came last year against Sri Lanka in Mohali.
India's Test squad for the first two Tests against Australia: Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KS Bharat (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), R. Ashwin, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Suryakumar Yadav.
