'I Play for CSK So I Know the Conditions Here': Jadeja Registers Historic 3-fer, Surpasses Ajit Agarkar's Tally

All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja ran through the Australian middle order to leave the 5-time World Champions tottering in the 5^th match of the ongoing ICC ODI World Cup 2023 in Chennai on Sunday. Chepauk is like the second home to Jadeja and it treated him so well that the southpaw ended up scripting a new chapter in World Cup history.

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It was the 30^th over of the Australian innings when Jadeja thumped the Aussies by dismissing Marnus Labuschagne and Alex Carey in a gap of a delivery. Before striking twice in an over, he cleaned up vice-captain Steve Smith for 46 who was already struggling to settle himself in the middle. Had Rohit Sharma not dropped Adam Zampa in the 44^th over, Jadeja would have pocketed 4 wickets but he ended his phenomenal spell with a maiden, that too, in the death.

Jadeja returned figures of 3 for 28 in 10 overs which is now the best bowling figure by an Indian spinner against Australia in an ODI World Cup match.

Talking about his successful outing at the Chepauk in the mid-innings break, Jadeja said he knew the conditions inside out and looking at the pitch, he expected to have at least 2-3 wickets in the game.

“I play for CSK so I know the conditions here, when I saw the pitch I thought I should get 2-3 wickets, luckily I got 3 wickets and am very happy. I was looking to bowl into the stumps and there was turn, you never know which one is going straight and which one is turning, the odd ball was turning and I was just mixing the pace,” he added.

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The three-wicket haul helped Jadeja surpass former India pacer Ajit Agarkar to become the third-highest wicket-taker against Australia in ODIs. With 45 wickets in his kitty, Kapil Dev leads the charts while Mohammed Shami stands second with 38 scalps. Jadeja is third with 37 wickets.

Jadeja is now only the second Indian spinner to have picked a three-wicket haul against Australia in ODI World Cups. Former cricketer Maninder Singh returned figures of 3 for 34 in the 1987 edition of the showpiece event in Delhi.

Earlier, India bowled out Australia for 199. Pat Cummins opted to bat first after winning the toss but things didn’t go as planned for the visitors, who were reeling at 119 for five in the 30th over. Steve Smith top-scored for the Aussies with 46 off 71 balls, while David Warner made 41 from 52 balls.