"Maybe Sanjay Manjrekar was right" - Fans on X slam Ravindra Jadeja after his 35 (36) in India's loss to Australia

Ravindra Jadeja's 36-ball 35 in the third ODI against Australia in Rajkot, just days ahead of the 2023 World Cup, has angered several Indian fans.

The all-rounder came in to bat when the score was 233-5 after 37.2 overs, with India requiring 120 off 106 and a shallow batting lineup to come. As more wickets fell at the other end and the tailenders joined him, Jadeja started to farm the strike.

The left-hander hit three fours and a six in a mostly risk-free knock before getting out LBW against spinner Tanveer Sangha. India eventually plunged to a loss.

Some fans and observers on X felt that the Chennai Super Kings man could have tried to be more aggressive and made an effort to chase down the total. Others claimed he wanted to spend some time at the crease, which he hasn't been able to do in a long time due to poor form and difficult match situations.

Several fans said that his attitude didn't bode well for India because the team sees him as a finisher and someone who could make the tailenders play around him. A few also offered him support, pulling out videos and photos of his best knocks in the IPL.

Following are the top reactions:

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Ravindra Jadeja vs Axar Patel debate rises again

Had Jadeja hit three or four sixes and taken the game closer despite not winning it, India would have felt comfortable with him batting at number eight. But now, Axar Patel, who was seen as his backup, could again come into the reckoning.

Axar, with an ODI strike rate of 101.69, is statistically a better lower-order hitter than Jadeja. He has also shown good game awareness while batting in the last few years.

However, Jadeja has been in significantly better bowling form, and often contributes substantially with his fielding and run-out chances.

After two good wins that solved multiple issues, India have once again found themselves staring at a big question mark ahead of the 2023 World Cup.