While the much-awaited four-match Test series between the hosts Australia and the visitors India will begin in just more than a week, the Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is likely to miss the opening match of this series.
Ravindra Jadeja started the ongoing Australia tour in a great way. While he tried his best to fight against the hosts during the first two ODIs in this tour where the left-handed batsman scored 25 and 24 runs respectively but failed to take at least one wicket, he scored an inspiring 66 not out off 50 balls and also picked up one wicket during the third ODI at Canberra, where India claimed a victory.
In the opening match of the three-match T20I series, Jadeja once again saved the Indian team with his powerful batting as he scored 44 not out off 23 balls, which played a major role for India’s 11-run victory in that game. But in the last over during India’s first innings of that match, batsman Jadeja got a hit on his helmet. Earlier, in the 19th over of that innings, Jadeja got a hamstring injury.
In the second innings of that match, the leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal replaced Jadeja as a concussion substitute, which raised confusion in the Australian dressing room.
After that game, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed that Jadeja ruled out from the remainder of the T20I series and Shardul Thakur replaced him in this series. Now, the big question is whether Jadeja can be available for the opening match of the four-match Test series in this tour, which will begin on 17th December at Adelaide that will be played as a day/night pink-ball Test.
It is next to impossible that the Indian team management would field Ravindra Jadeja, without any warm-up game time ahead of the opening Test
A BCCI source has recently given some light in this question. While Jadeja is recovering and he has to take rest for 7-10 days as per ICC”s concussion protocols, the all-rounder will miss the upcoming three-day day/night warm-up game. As Jadeja is unavailable for the upcoming pink-ball warm-up match, the team management will unlikely to select him in the playing XI for the opening game of the Test series, which will be also a day/night Test.
The source told PTI, “As per ICC’s concussion protocols, after any head injury, a player needs to be rested for 7 to 10 days, which effectively rules Jadeja out of the three-day day/night warm-up game at the SCG from December 11. Therefore, it is next to impossible that the Indian team management would field Jadeja, without any warm-up game time ahead of the opening Test.”
While Ravindra Jadeja is recovering from the concussion, his hamstring injury is still a concern. After making his Test debut in December 2012, Jadeja has played 49 Tests where the left-handed batsman has scored 1869 runs (average 35.26) and also the left-arm spinner has taken 213 wickets.