"I am always going to look for the X-factor player" - Graeme Swann picks the key player for India in the 2023 World Cup final vs Australia

Graeme Swann has picked Ravindra Jadeja as the key player for India in the 2023 World Cup final against Australia.

The two sides will square off at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday, November 19. While the Aussies will be looking to win a record-extending sixth World Cup title, the Men in Blue will hope to become just the second team to bag the trophy at least thrice.

During a discussion on CNN News 18, Swann was asked to pick the likely key player for India in the World Cup final, to which he responded:

"I am always going to look for the X-factor player, the rockstar, and that has to be (Ravindra) Jadeja. He has had a fairly quiet backend to this World Cup, mostly because the batting order hasn't really given him anything to do."

The former England spinner cited Ravindra Jadeja's exploits in the IPL 2023 final to highlight that the all-rounder raises his game on the big stage. He elaborated:

"I always look for big-time players, players when the pressure is on in the heat of the battle, times when even the world's best fail, Jadeja absolutely lives for those occasions. Just look at the IPL last year, wins the whole IPL off the last two balls, a six and a four."

The Chennai Super Kings needed 10 runs off the final two deliveries in the IPL 2023 final against the Gujarat Titans. Jadeja hit a six and a four off Mohit Sharma's bowling to take MS Dhoni and company to a record-equalling fifth IPL title.

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"He is the sort of player who makes me so confident in the Indian team" - Graeme Swann on Ravindra Jadeja

Ravindra Jadeja was seen putting in the hard yards in the nets on Friday. [P/C: AP]

Graeme Swann praised Ravindra Jadeja's temperament under pressure. He explained:

"He is the sort of player who makes me so confident in the Indian team because even if wickets do fall, even if they do get in a chasing situation, he is calmness personified when he walks out to bat. It doesn't look like he is bothered about anything. He can score all around and hit the winning runs."

The cricketer-turned-commentator expects the Indian left-arm spinner to bamboozle the Aussies with his bag of tricks. He said:

"Then with the ball, if it's turning especially, the Aussies do not know how to play Jadeja, they are like the English. We don't know how to play Jadeja, neither do the Aussies. Of course, he is a spinner as well because I always look to the spinners."

Swann concluded by saying that he is convinced that Jadeja will be the Player of the Match in the World Cup final.