Jadeja's absence massive loss but Kohli's return to form augurs well for India in T20 WC: Mahela Jayawardene
The Hindu
Jadeja was left out of the 15-member Indian team for the T20 World Cup in Australia in October-November after the all-rounder suffered an injury during the Asia Cup.
Ravindra Jadeja's absence due to injury is a "massive loss" but Virat Kohli's return to form and Jasprit Bumrah's comeback would still make India a force to reckon with in the upcoming T20 World Cup, feels Sri Lanka legend Mahela Jayawardene.
Jadeja was left out of the 15-member Indian team for the T20 World Cup in Australia in October-November after the all-rounder suffered an injury during the Asia Cup.
"It is a challenge. They had fitted him (Jadeja) nicely in that No.5 role. He has been batting really well and him and Hardik (Pandya) being in that top six - two guys who can give that all-round options - gave India much more flexibility in that batting order," Jayawardene was quoted as saying in The ICC Review.
"It is a tough one for them, and probably a concern not having that left-hander. They’ve switched to leaving out DK (Dinesh Karthik) and bringing in Rishabh (Pant) in that role, batting at 5 or 4. Those are things they have to settle going into the World Cup.
"But not having Jadeja, the form that he was in... it will be a massive loss for them," the batting legend said of Jadeja.
Jayawardene said India can take solace in the return to form of star batter Kohli who broke his century drought that spanned 1,020 days, scoring his 71st international hundred when he smashed an unbeaten 122 against Afghanistan in the Asia Cup, though it was an inconsequential match.
"He (Kohli) was there and thereabouts pretty much. He just didn’t have that big score under his belt to get that confidence, especially in white-ball cricket, which is always going to happen," said Jayawardene, who has been IPL side Mumbai Indians' head coach.
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