‘Jaddu batted beautifully’ - KL Rahul all praises for Ravindra Jadeja after their unbeaten 108 run match-winning partnership

Team India produced a stunning performance in the first ODI against Australia, winning by five wickets at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Friday. The hosts bowled out Australia by 188 in 35.4 overs. Meanwhile, the hosts chased the target in the 40th over of their innings. 

KL Rahul made a roaring comeback with a match-winning performance in the first ODI against Australia. The 30-year-old batter helped India to be steady in the chase, scoring an unbeaten 75 off 91 deliveries. He made a 108-run partnership with Ravindra Jadeja, who scored an unbeaten 45 off 69, and guided India to a five-wicket win. Notably, the star all-rounder emerged as the Player of the Match.

Rahul praised Jadeja for his performance in the first ODI against the Steve Smith-led side, saying that the all-rounder came out to bat and disrupted the Aussie bowlers. He also praised Australia’s Mitchell Starc, calling him a ‘dangerous bowler.’

“(We) saw three wickets fall down early, Starc was swinging the ball well and when he brings the ball back in, he is a dangerous bowler. Just tried to play normal cricketing shots. Got a few boundaries away and that settled my nerves. I batted with Shubman, Hardik, and Jadeja. The talk was that there’s help on the wicket but we did not want to get into our shell and play out a certain bowler,” Rahul said in a post-match conversation.

“We wanted to be positive and put the loose balls away. If we are good with our footwork, we could do well and it was fun batting with Jadeja. The minute the left-hander walked in, I got a few loose ball. That happens to the best of bowlers. The left-hander walking in and that worked for us. Jaddu batted beautifully and he runs hard between the wickets. He is in great form and he knows what to do in those situations,” he added.

KL Rahul lauds Mohammed Shami for his performance

KL Rahul lauded Mohammed Shami for his brilliant three-wicket haul in the match. The 32-year-old pacer played a major role in the collapse that Australia's batting line-up suffered, dismissing Josh Inglis, Cameron Green, and Marcus Stoinis.  

“When we started off, I didn’t think the pitch will help the bowlers that much. Once Shami came back for his second spell, he did wonders. Any team that wants to win needs to pick wickets in the middle overs. When there’s bounce, I like keeping wickets. It is a bit of a challenge when it is slow and low, it is challenging physically. The ball was moving around and I enjoy playing here at the Wankhede,” said Rahul.

With this win,  the Men in Blue took a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series. The second ODI will be played at the YS Raja Reddy Cricket Stadium in Andhra Pradesh on Sunday, March 19.

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