Indian team tells match referee

Immediately after the video went viral, Australian media started leveling allegations of ball-tampering against the Indian all-rounder. However, according to a report in ESPNcricinfo, the Indian team management, including Jadeja and skipper Rohit Sharma, met ICC match referee Andy Pycroft following the end of the first day’s play.

The report added that Pycroft showed them a clip of the viral video involving Jadeja and Siraj. The Indian management explained that the all-rounder was only applying pain-relief cream to the index finger of his bowling hand and nothing else.

Jadeja has not been charged over the incident and the Australian team too hasn’t raised the matter with the match referee. Meanwhile, Jadeja shone with the ball on his comeback to the Indian team. He claimed 5/47 as Australia were bowled out for 177 after winning the toss and batting first.

Speaking after the close of play, Jadeja refused to believe that the pitch was a rank turner. He observed, “No, it (the pitch) is not a rank turner. It is slow and there is less bounce compared to other wickets. I felt defending was not very difficult today, but as the game progresses, it (defending) will become increasingly difficult. But that is the nature of Test cricket.”

The 34-year-old admitted that he made an attempt to trick the Aussie batters by using the crease while bowling. Jadeja elaborated, “I used the crease as not every delivery was turning. And, as I said, the bounce was low, so trying (I tried) to create doubts in the minds of the batters,” said Jadeja, who also said that one should be well prepared against spin in India.

“When you travel to India, you have to play spin very well. That should be your first priority. Whenever other teams travel to India, they always prepare for spin. Sometimes you score against spin, sometimes you get out. It is part of the game. We were looking to get them out as early as possible,” he added.

While Australian spinners could not create much of an impact, Jadeja asserted that they bowled well. He stated that it’s important to bowl with patience in Indian conditions. The all-rounder commented, “Their spinners also bowled well. It is just a matter of time. It is not like you just bowl and get wickets in every over.

“You have to keep bowling and keep patience. You have to keep changing, over the wicket, around the wicket. When a partnership is going on, you have to keep changing. You have to keep bowling in good areas,” he concluded.

–By A Cricket Correspondent