Rohit Sharma-led Indian cricket team defeated Australia by an innings and 132 runs in the first Test of the four-match Border-Gavaskar series in Nagpur. All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, returning to national team after a gap of five months, was adjudged man of the match for scoring vital 70 runs in the first innings and taking a total of 7 wickets in both the innings.
The pitch for 1st Test in Nagpur received too much unnecessary attention and criticism from the Australian media. Several former Aussie cricketers tried their level best to set up a narrative regarding the Nagpur pitch, blaming the hosts for preparing a spin-friendly, doctored pitch that suits their bowlers.
After India won the match, Ravindra Jadeja trolled Australia by pointing out how they had preconceived notions about the pitch even before they took the flight to India.
"I feel they were seeing the rough from the moment they sat on the flight. The atmosphere they created that it would spin; it didn't spin that much. If we see, they got out more to straight balls. We also got out lbw on straight balls," said Jadeja to Star Sports.
"This is bound to happen in India because we will obviously play to our team's strength. Our fast bowlers are also good, but spinners win more matches in India and pick up wickets, so why shouldn't we go with our strength," he added.
Jadeja opens up on his rehab journey
Jadeja was provisionally picked for the Test series against Bangladesh in December last year but he said that he only wanted to return once he was fully fit and had the confidence back.
"It was (a) difficult (phase) as I have missed a lot of cricket in the last five months, missed important tournaments (Asia Cup and World T20). Rehabs are tough for players and even tougher is to keep the level of performance post rehab. You need that confidence and there are always doubts that (whether) post injury your performance will remain the same or not," he said.
"My motivation was to get fit as quickly as possible as I had already spent five months away from cricket and I wanted to be 100 per cent fit, so it took me some more time. The doubt that I wanted to clear is whether or not I am able to give that 100 per cent in match situation."