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Ravindra Jadeja is one of three left-arm spinners India have picked in their squad for the upcoming Champions Trophy.
Ravindra Jadeja is part of both England ODIs and Champions Trophy. (PTI Photo)
India picking as many as three left-arm spinners for the Champions Trophy has befuddled former India cricketer Subramaniam Badrinath who feels that allrounder Ravindra Jadeja, whose last ODI appearance was the 2023 World Cup final, might feature in their playing XI.
Besides Jadeja, India have Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel as two strong left-arm spin options.
Badrinath, who played with Jadeja in Chennai Super Kings, wasn’t expecting his former IPL teammate to make the cut for the Champions Trophy.
“There are a few spots which are a little bit tricky,” Badrinath said on Star Sports. “I am honestly surprised Ravindra Jadeja is in the squad. I didn’t expect him to be in the squad because there is very little space for him in the XI.”
“So why would you actually take a player in the squad who might not feature in the actual playing XI? So that is a little bit tricky,” he added.
India will play all their Champions Trophy matches in Dubai and so it’s understandable why they have taken plenty of spinners.
Recently, with the uncertainty surrounding Jasprit Bumrah’s fitness, India included mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy for their three-match ODI series against England and depending on how he fares, there’s a bright chance of him also breaking into the Champions Trophy squad.
For Badrinath though the returning Kuldeep will be key to India’s chances of winning the title.
“He (Kuldeep) is brave. He is the best option to go to in the middle overs. We have seen many of these foreign teams. They find it hard to read a bowler like Kuldeep Yadav,” he said.
Kuldeep was sidelined last October due to a groin injury, and he ended up missing India’s Australia tour. He recently made his competitive return in Ranji Trophy, taking 3/124 for Uttar Pradesh against Madhya Pradesh on what was a benign surface.
India host England for a three-match ODI series from today which will serve as a good platform to prepare for the Champions Trophy.
