EXPLAINED: Why Ravindra Jadeja Replaced R Ashwin In India Playing XI For 3rd Test Vs Australia
Photo : AP
India are currently taking on Australia in the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the iconic Gabba Cricket Ground in Brisbane. The away side will be looking to grab a win in the Test, especially after a humiliating 10-wicket loss in the second game at the Adelaide Oval. After the loss, India were expected to make changes in the playing XI. They did have two players who were dropped, and one of them was veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin. Ravindra Jadeja came in his place.
Why R Ashwin Was Dropped
Given his solid record in pink-ball Tests, Ravichandran Ashwin was selected in the second Test vs Australia at the Adelaide Oval. However, he did not perform at all according to expectations. In the Adelaide Test match, Ashwin picked just 1 wicket and gave away 53 runs in 18 overs. Travis Head, in particular, took a liking for Ashwin as he hit the off-spinner for a few massive sixes en route to his match-winning knock of 140.
After this poor performance Ashwin was dropped from the playing XI in the third Test.
FOLLOW LIVE: India Vs Australia Third Test Day 1
Why Ravindra Jadeja Was Picked In The Playing XI
Ravindra Jadeja makes his way into the playing XI in place of R Ashwin. This will be the first appearance for Jadeja in the Border-Gavaskar Series 2024. India have thus played all their three spinners in the playing XI in the first three tests itself. Washngton Sndar played the first game, with R Ashwin playing the second game, and now Jadeja coming in for the third Test.
Jadeja has been India's go-to spinner in overseas conditions in the past couple of years, and hence, India might be looking to play him finally after he missed the first two Tests. He also offers batting depth, and clearly has the better batting statistics than Ashwin and Sundar in Tests. India have gone in with two off-spinners in the first two Tests, and Jadeja's left-arm spin offers a new dimension to their bowling attack, and might cause trouble for Australia.
India Playing XI For 3rd Test Vs Australia: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant(wk), Rohit Sharma(c), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep
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