Ravindra Jadeja showcased a stellar performance at the Eden Gardens on Sunday night, securing five crucial wickets to dismantle South Africa's innings. His impressive batting cameo earlier in the match also kept him firmly in the spotlight.
In a pivotal moment, Jadeja's precision on the field prompted India's skipper, Rohit Sharma, to opt for a review. This time, Sharma, positioned as the lone slip, needed little persuasion. The stump microphone captured Sharma's assertion in Hindi, affirming that the review was worth it, given that Heinrich Klassen was the last recognized South African batter. With the score at 40/3 in the 13th over, the gamble proved justified.
Jadeja's delivery, pitching on leg, led to Klassen's dismissal after a failed attempt to sweep. In the subsequent over, Mohammed Shami and KL Rahul swiftly called for the Decision Review System (DRS) again, and Sharma concurred. Once more, India's decision was on point, leading to Rassie van der Dussen's departure. With South Africa struggling at 40/5 after 40/4, their pursuit of India's 326/5 seemed futile.
Shami, a veteran of Eden Gardens since 2010, continued to excel. He had already claimed Aiden Markram's wicket with a perfectly angled delivery that seamed away. Markram, ranked seventh on the run-scorer's list, fell victim to an excellent catch by Rahul. Shami's match haul of 2/18 elevated him to fourth place on the wicket-taker's list with a total of 16 wickets in the tournament.
Keshav Maharaj demonstrated that the pitch favored spinners. Although Maharaj's deliveries lacked the ferocity of Jadeja's, one of them outfoxed Shubman Gill, pitching on middle and leg and spinning away to disturb the stumps. Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj had already applied pressure, with Siraj dismissing Quinton de Kock. Therefore, it was fitting that Sharma introduced Jadeja in the ninth over.
In just three deliveries, Jadeja extended Temba Bavuma's struggles in the World Cup. The South African skipper found himself in a quandary, uncertain whether to advance or stay rooted in the crease, ultimately falling to a rapid in-swinging delivery. David Miller succumbed to one that held its line, while Maharaj fell to a sharply turning ball. After a prolonged spell of dot balls, Kagiso Rabada's impatience led to a straightforward catch back to Jadeja, securing his fifer and becoming the first Indian spinner to achieve this feat in the tournament.
Jadeja's accuracy, pace, and ability to keep batsmen guessing earned him accolades, proving too formidable even for the second-ranked South African team.
After the match, Jadeja acknowledged, "I think the wicket was more difficult when we batted. There was turn and no bounce." He emphasized the importance of a strong start from the pacers, as it grants spinners the freedom to experiment with their variations. India's decision to bat first was a deliberate challenge to themselves in preparation for the knockout stages.
Adding to Jadeja's remarkable 5/33, his explosive 29 off just 15 balls, including a six and two fours off Marco Jansen in the final over, highlighted his prowess with the bat. Coupled with his exceptional fielding, Jadeja once again demonstrated why Shane Warne dubbed him a rockstar. India's coach, Rahul Dravid, praised him as a complete package, emphasizing the difficulty for a No. 7 batter to consistently contribute.
Jadeja humbly stated, "The all-rounder’s role is to get 30-40 runs when it is tough and break a difficult partnership. That’s what I try to do. And with my fielding, well, I am never relaxed about it.”
Dravid admitted that Jadeja had somewhat flown under the radar in this World Cup, but on Sunday, his exceptional performance left no room for oversight.
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