The series decider between India and West Indies at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack at one point looked to be slipping away from the hands of the Indian team. But Shardul Thakur and Ravindra Jadeja plotted a fantastic chase. Speaking at the press conference, Jadeja spoke on what he told Shardul as the duo pulled off a splendid chase to win the game and clinch the series for India.
The two CSK teammates stood tall against Windies’ pace attack, with Shardul scoring a four and a six early in his innings to bring the required run-rate under six. The duo then played every delivery with caution and kept rotating the strike to wrap-up the chase with an over to spare. It was well-planned partnership in which both batsmen looked at ease whereas the pressure was actually a lot.
“I told myself that I need to play till the last ball,” Jadeja said during the presser on Sunday. “Yes, my innings was crucial because it was the decider. When I went in, my aim was to just stay with Virat and rotate the strike.”
He also revealed that he told Shardul how good the wicket was and that India would win if the two batted till the end. “When Shardul (Thakur) came in, I told him the wicket was good, the ball was coming on nicely so we were thinking like Virat and I were. And that was, if we play till the last ball and treat every ball on its merit, we will win,” said Jadeja post the match.
India is used to the likes of Virat Kohli or MS Dhoni finishing off games and hence Shardul, who, in essence, is not even a batsman and just a bowler, finishing it off was a treat to the eyes.
India’s next big assignment will be a T20I series against Sri Lanka away from home, followed by the tour of New Zealand.
