Hyderabad: His innovative range of shots allowed him to take more risks in a tricky chase while Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s mere presence at the other end kept the pressure on Australia during the first ODI, stated Kedar Jadhav after the game, Saturday night.
Kedar’s unbeaten 81 saw India beat Australia by six wickets with Dhoni remaining unbeaten on 59 at the other end. After reaching 50, Kedar suddenly changed gears while Dhoni was found suffering from cramps.
Kedar asserted that Dhoni’s discomfort did not force him to become aggressive. “Not really, one had to take the risk. I have batted throughout my career at No. 4, so I am more open to playing all the shots,” Kedar told reporters.
“Growing up, I’ve always built my batting on playing innovative shots. I feel I have a good chance of converting those innovative shots,” Kedar added.
The Maharashtra player said that Dhoni’s game is more about playing straight and it creates pressure.
“Mahi bhai’s (Dhoni’s nickname) natural game is hitting down the ground. As long as he’s there, the other teams always feel the pressure. Whatever little bit of cramp he was having, I just told him ‘you stay at the wicket, it gives me a lot of confidence’. I could play my natural game after 50 because he was at the other end,” Kedar pointed out.
“Every time I spend time with him, I learn a lot. I can’t put it in words but let’s say when I see Mahi bhai, I feel very confident. That’s the sort of aura where you feel that ‘I will deliver today’. He has that knack of getting best out of every player and that’s what everybody loves about him. Credit to them (Dhoni and Virat Kohli) for what they have achieved in their career. If we can do 10 or 15 per cent of what they achieved, it will be great,” added the middle-order batsman.
Kedar’s off-breaks have been a trump card for Kohli but he still thinks that he is not ready mentally or physically to regularly bowl the full quota of 10 overs.
“I never thought of bowling 10 overs in a game as of now. If the situation demands and the team require, I can definitely do. But doing consistently, it will take mental adjustment and physically also,” Kedar pointed out.
PTI
