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Chennai Super Kings head coach Stephen Fleming made a significant statement about Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel ahead of the semi-final between India and England in the T20 World Cup 2024. He emphasized that management needs to effectively utilize both players and ensure there are no ego issues between them.
India has been fortunate in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024, as the decision to play both Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel has proven successful. This is the first time in many years that the team is using two left-arm spin-bowling all-rounders in their T20I XI in a major tournament.
Historically, Ravindra Jadeja has been the preferred all-rounder, with Axar Patel seen as his backup. However, in this T20 World Cup, Patel has outperformed Jadeja with both bat and ball and has earned more trust from the management.
Ravindra Jadeja has faced criticism for his performances and is considered the weakest link in the Indian team during this World Cup. He has struggled to take wickets and hasn’t been effective with the bat, failing to finish innings strongly.
Stephen Fleming, speaking about Jadeja, asserted that the all-rounder delivers in crucial matches for his team. He described the CSK player as effective and backed him to perform well in the later stages of the tournament. In an interview with ESPN Cricinfo, he explained:
“In some tournaments, he doesn’t really feature for a while and then all of a sudden, he’ll get a 4/16, 4/20 and score runs with the bat and that’s why he is such an effective player in your side.”
You’ve just got to make sure that in terms of an ego point of view, someone doing the same skillset is not having an impact on either of them – Stephen Fleming on Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja
Stephen Fleming additionally acknowledged Axar Patel’s strong performances for India and emphasized the importance of effectively integrating both players into the team’s strategy for optimal results. He highlighted that despite recent challenges, Ravindra Jadeja remains a crucial asset for the team, urging patience and trust in his capabilities. Fleming elaborated:
“India has got Axar working away too. You can combine the two and get a pretty good result. You’ve just got to make sure that in terms of an ego point of view during those middle-overs, having someone doing the same skillset does not having an impact on either of them.
“You’ve got to make sure the man management is pretty sound. But you can’t count Jadeja out. When the conditions are right, the pace that he bowls is spot on, he is gonna cause problems. Sometimes you’ve just got to wait a little longer and hang tight for your bowlers. Jadeja towards the backend of the tournament.”
Both Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel are expected to play for India in the upcoming semi-final against England. The T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final between India and England is scheduled for Thursday, June 27th, at the Providence Stadium in Guyana.
