India vs West Indies 2018: Kedar Jadhav’s exclusion from India’s squad for last three ODIs is surprising

In the first two matches of the ongoing series against West Indies, it’s India’s bowling that has let them down. It’s only due to the fearsome batting strength that the team currently possesses spearheaded by the incomparable Virat Kohli that India has avoided defeat in both those matches.

India has acutely missed its sixth bowler. The diminutive Kedar Jadhav has played this role to perfection in recent times, as was demonstrated to telling effect in this year’s Asia Cup. Apart from being India’s number six batsman, he is seen as one of the most important members in the Indian ODI XI, going into the World Cup.

Though he is not a big-hitter, he is an unorthodox batsman who has the uncanny ability to pierce the gaps, while batting. He knows how to manipulate the field, and if one looks at his strike rate, it’s always high despite him not being a power hitter. He runs well between the wickets and allows very few dot balls.

It’s not just his batting which is unorthodox, but his unique bowling style where his bowling arm goes quite low, almost to the level of his shoulder while delivering the ball, that also makes him a very difficult bowler to hit.

One could possibly argue that he is a player with limited abilities, both as a batsman and as a bowler. There is definitely some truth to it. One remembers a similar comment being made about Rahul Dravid when he came on to the international scene. And look at what he achieved in his career. By the time his career came to an end, he was universally regarded as one of the greats of the game, even in the limited-overs format, which was not considered suitable for his style!

Like Kedar Jadhav, Rahul Dravid was considered a player with limited abilities during his early days

While it may be blasphemous to compare Dravid with Jadhav, one cannot deny that just like Dravid, Jadhav understands his limitations and maximizes his utility to the team. He acknowledges that he does not have many variations as a bowler, but he tries to read the mind of the batsman and bowls accordingly.

If one has a look at his economy rate, it’s not just comparable, but even better than those of some of the players who are in the team only as bowlers. And he has also developed a reputation as a partnership-breaker.

In India’s plans for the upcoming ICC World Cup, he must figure prominently. Unfortunately, he picked up an injury in the Asia Cup which sidelined him for the first two ODIs. But now that he is fully fit, as is evident from him clearing the fitness tests at NCA in Bengaluru, he should have been drafted into India’s ODI squad straight away for the remaining three matches.

There are no more ODIs for India this year after the West Indies series. And Jadhav does not play Test matches. So, unless he is picked for the T20 Internationals against West Indies and Australia, he gets to play no international match this year.

It’s a shame he is made to play in the domestic circuit now when he should have been getting ready to play on his home ground in Pune on Saturday. One just hopes it does not leave him frustrated and dent his confidence.