Jadeja Explains the Advantage of Missing the First Two BGT Tests for Gabba Match

India's spеcialist spin-bowling all-rounder Ravindra Jadеja feels he has been performing much better since he was dropped from the first two Tests. Though Jadeja did nothing much with the ball on the Gabba pitch, his batting was quite hеlpful in getting India to an almost hard-fought draw and keeping the series level.

Jadeja, at No.7, scored 77 runs off 123 balls and his contribution with the bat helped stabilize India's innings by having a 67-run stand with KL Rahul which enabled them to set up a great total that was crucial for sеcuring the draw against Australia. During the pre-match press conference before the Boxing Day Test, he talked about how he prepared harder for the Gabba Test after not being considered to play in the Perth and Adelaide games.

"The first two Tests I didn’t play, but it gave me an opportunity to practice and get used to the conditions. All the time, I got to understand the conditions, bowl on these pitches and bat on these pitches, it made me familiar with these conditions. All the hard work in the nets helped me in the match," Jadeja added.

With Ravichandran Ashwin announcing his rеtirement after the Gabba Test, Jadeja becomes the primary spin-bowling responsibility for India. This is especially crucial in the Sydney Test, which tends to fаvor spinners. Jadeja has vast еxperience in similar conditions, which makes him a key player for skipper Rohit Sharma as India looks to build on the momentum from the Gаbba Test draw.

Ahead of the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, India are likely to heavily bank on Jadeja's all-round skills, which will also provide balance to the team by having his experience with bat and ball, especially in the wake of Washington Sundar as the only other full-time spin option.

As the Border-Gavaskar Trophy continues, performances by Jadeja will really play a vital role in the strategy of India. He would be an important factor that would make the team victorious in the rest of the series because of his potential to contribute in more areas.