Ravindra Jadeja’s 2027 World Cup dream revived! Indian and Australian legends put pressure on Ajit Agarkar to pick him
Former India coach Ravi Shastri has extended his support to Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, showing confidence in the all-rounder’s abilities and placing him as a crucial part of the Indian squad for the 2027 ICC World Cup.
India are currently touring Australia and they are full of all-rounders despite Hardik Pandya’s unavailability. Despite this, the Gautam Gambhir-coached team did not name veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja in the 16-member squad, which raised many eyebrows.
Ravindra Jadeja is one of the greatest all-rounders of modern times in India, irrespective of the format of the game. He had announced his retirement from T20Is alongside Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma after winning the 2024 T20 World Cup. However, this snub has raised doubts over his availability till the next World Cup in 2027.
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Ravi Shastri backed Ravindra Jadeja’s return for South Africa World Cup
Ravindra Jadeja was left out of the Indian team and instead the selectors named young all-rounders like Axar Patel and Washington Sundar in the team. Form cannot be an excuse in the case of Jadeja, who is almost back to his prime at 36.
Former India coach Ravi Shastri believes that Jadeja, despite the snub, remains a crucial player for India in the race for the 2027 World Cup. He has put his weight behind him as an all-rounder, praising his fitness and brilliance in all three roles on the field.
“2027, everyone is talking. Don’t overlook or dismiss Ravindra Jadeja. He will be in the mix, no doubt about it. He still plays like he is 7-8 years younger than he is. It’s just a privilege to watch him chase a ball down the field.”
“I can understand (why he wasn’t selected) in Australia because there is Axar, and there are only 3 matches, but come to South Africa, where you have to play in different venues against different teams, both can play,” Ravi Shastri said on the ICC Review.
‘Warney always told us about him from the beginning’, Ricky Ponting revealed Shane Warne’s admiration for Jadeja
Apart from Shastri, even Australian legend Ricky Ponting expressed his admiration for the Indian star and his unrivaled athleticism. He praised its timeless energy, drawing comparisons to Benjamin Button, the iconic fictional character who aged in reverse, that is, got younger with age.
“I think I need to take a bit of what he’s taking because he doesn’t seem to age at all. He’s the modern-day Benjamin Button. I know he picked on me a few times when he first started,” Ponting said.
“Warney always told us about him from the start, and again, he wasn’t wrong. It’s hard to say he’s the best defender of all time, but you put him there, in the absolute upper echelon,” Ponting shared Shane Warne’s prediction on Ravindra Jadeja.
Ravindra Jadeja is slowly gaining all-time legend status in Test cricket
Since his retirement from T20Is and his complete focus on Test cricket with India’s limited involvement in bilateral ODIs, Jadeja has emerged as India’s best all-rounder, evolving into an excellent middle-order hitter.
He has had limited opportunities in the past, but has dominated the red ball format recently. His good form peaked in England, where he averaged over 90 and scored over 500 runs in the series. He continued his momentum against the West Indies, and the same is expected to be the case in South Africa’s home series.
Jadeja’s efficiency could never be questioned for once, as he recently overtook Harbhajan Singh to become India’s third-highest wicket-taker on home soil. Jadeja was also part of India’s victorious teams in both the Champions Trophies and the T20 World Cup.
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