India vs England 3rd Test: Ravindra Jadeja’s childhood coach wants him to play like Ravichandran Ashwin

India vs England 3rd Test: Nari Contractor wants Ravindra Jadeja to play like Ravichandran Ashwin

Former Indian skipper Nari Contractor wants Ravindra Jadeja to play like Ravichandran Ashwin and turn into a genuine all-rounder. Jadeja after a long time played a match-defining 90-run innings during the third Test at Mohali. Contractor was disappointed with Jadeja’s long lean patch.

The Southpaw was a hard-hitting all-rounder in his initial days in international cricket. He has had a 53 plus first-class average and two triple hundreds. So a cricketer like Jadeja, who has an outstanding record in domestic cricket, a regular contribution with the willow is expected. (Demonetisation: How it has affected BCCI and cricket)

He recently scored a half-century against New Zealand in Kanpur which came after long two years. In 2014 he played a 68-run innings at the Lord’s but following that innings he failed to play any tangible innings.

So his 90-run innings, which salvaged India’s sinking ship, is a much-needed respite for him and his team. Jadeja over the years has become India’s second most important spinner, but unlike Ashwin he had failed to contribute with the bat.  Ashwin this year scored more than 600 runs in Test cricket at an average of 48. (Demonetisation: Cash-rich BCCI hit by cash crunch, fails to pay DA to India Women and West Indies Women)

Talking about Jadeja Contractor said, “He is developing into an all-rounder. His bowling was always good, but his batting is disappointing. Over the years, I expected him to score many runs as he did yesterday. In this series though he has batted well.”

Contractor is a childhood coach of Jadeja. The Surat cricketer came to Contractor at the age of 14 at the Cricket Club of India.

“He must now concentrate and improve his batting to become a genuine all-rounder. There are bowling all-rounders and batting all-rounders, but for a genuine all-rounder, bowling and batting must go hand-in-hand in every match, something that Ashwin is doing right now,” he added.