‘Arey yaar, I wish I was there' - Ravindra Jadeja laments missing last year's T20 World Cup

Team India received a massive shot in the arm after star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja made a tremendous return to cricket, following an untimely knee injury during last year's Asia Cup. His return to fitness ahead of the crucial Border-Gavaskar Trophy might prove to be the decisive factor against the mighty Aussies. The mercurial cricketer opened up about his struggles during his absence from the national team, especially during the T20 World Cup 2022.

Ravindra Jadeja injured his knee during last year's Asia Cup campaign which ruled him out of action for the rest of the year. The Saurashtra man remembered the difficulties of being on the sidelines, especially during the T20 World Cup as he watched his side play from the television sets.

He felt that the pain of missing out on the global event motivated him to regain his fitness quicker. The southpaw also praised the efforts of the trainers and the staff at the NCA, who worked tirelessly, even on Sundays, to aid his quick recovery.

“Rehab, training and stuff are things that you have to do regularly and you do start wondering if you will ever be fully fit. I was watching the World Cup on television and was thinking, ‘Arey yaar, I wish I was there’. These kinds of thoughts come to your mind and they motivate you to go through rehab and training and get back to full fitness quickly.

Physios and the trainers at the NCA worked a lot on my knee. They gave me so much time and even if it was off on Sundays at the NCA, they would especially come for me. They have worked a lot on me. Like, for two, three weeks, I used to be in Bangalore, then I would go back home to freshen up my mind," Jadeja told to bcci.tv.

 The first day was very tough and Chennai’s heat is known to all: Jadeja

Talking about his recovery after the knee surgery, Jadeja highlighted the importance of the support of his family and friends when he wasn't able to walk properly. He made a tremendous return to action after grabbing a seven-for against Tamil Nadu during Saurashtra's Ranji Trophy game in January to announce his match fitness.

“I had to be in Bangalore as much as possible so that it helps me in my faster recovery. But two months post the injury was very tough as I wasn’t able to walk or go somewhere. So, that time was very critical and, in this phase, my friends, and family were always there for me.

The first day I went to the ground, I felt a little awkward as I hadn’t gone into the sun for five months as it was indoor training and gym all the time. I had doubts that whether I will be able to sustain myself with my body in 90 hours of play. But the first day was very tough and Chennai’s heat is known to all,” Jadeja further said.

For a better experience: Download the CricTracker app from the IOS App Store and Google Play Store