Rajasthan Royals’ Ravindra Jadeja admitted that, at times this IPL season, he has not completed his full allocation of overs due to a mix of circumstances. Still, the veteran all-rounder said he is comfortable with it and keeps his mindset focused on what benefits the team most. In Wednesday’s match, Jadeja played a key role in RR’s 40-run triumph over Lucknow Super Giants, delivering a performance that blended late-innings batting with impactful bowling.
Speaking about why he is not bothered by not bowling his entire quota in certain games, Jadeja said he “leaves his ego in the hotel room” before stepping onto the field. He explained that once he arrives at the venue, his only priority is to contribute in the manner the team requires. Jadeja also shed light on his batting intentions in the contest, saying he wanted to take the innings deeper. He pointed out that if he had been dismissed in the 17th or 18th over after playing an aggressive shot, the team may not have reached 159—potentially leaving RR short by 20 to 25 runs.
Jadeja finished with 43 runs from 29 balls and then returned with the ball to claim one wicket, conceding 29 runs in his four overs. His spell proved crucial in maintaining pressure and ensuring Lucknow could not chase down the target. Jadeja also reflected on how a smaller chase could have made things easier for LSG, stressing that T20 outcomes depend heavily on the pitch, match conditions, and the evolving situation during a game.
He added that if, on a particular day, the team feels he has a disadvantageous matchup against a specific batter, he understands the rationale. Jadeja said cricket can swing either way and that tactical decisions are part of the sport. With Lucknow’s pacers making strong use of the Ekana Stadium surface, Jadeja stayed not out as RR’s batting gave their total enough shape to keep the chase under control.
Jadeja explains the batting plan on the red-soil surface
Jadeja elaborated on his approach at the crease, noting that the conditions were not simple. He said LSG have quality fast bowlers who operated with pace and hit their spots consistently. According to Jadeja, it was a red-soil strip that offered bounce, while the ball also came off the seam—factors that made timing and decision-making more demanding. He said wickets kept falling and RR struggled to build partnerships, prompting discussions about pushing the innings deeper.
Jadeja acknowledged that in T20 cricket, risk-taking is necessary at intervals to reach a competitive total. However, he felt that Donovan Phadke got out at a time when RR still needed to keep momentum. Jadeja further described his awareness of the bowling scenario, saying he was calculating overs and knew Mayank Yadav might bowl the final over. He said he intended to use Yadav’s pace, with his field set to allow scoring through areas like short leg and the mid-off and mid-on channels.
Jadeja said three of the deliveries were short, and that Yadav attempted a deceptive fuller ball as well. He added that, fortunately, he still managed to find a boundary off it. Jadeja concluded that extracting those crucial 20 runs gave the side confidence, especially because it meant the bowling group had a bit more to defend as a team.
This result marked LSG’s fourth straight defeat, while Rajasthan Royals returned to winning ways.
Jadeja on bowling slow at Lucknow
On his decision to bowl slower on the Lucknow pitch, Jadeja said that while batting, he had seen Digvesh Rathi’s deliveries begin to stop in the wicket. Jadeja suggested that if he bowled at a slower pace on the same kind of surface, he might gain similar movement. He also explained that he did not want to offer pace to Mitch Marsh or Nicholas Pooran, both of whom are known for striking hard and changing matches quickly.
At the same time, Jadeja said he wanted to avoid being predictable, so he mixed his pace even while bowling slower. He felt this approach helped him keep batters uncertain and gave RR an edge during the chase.
Sanjay Bangar questions Pant’s early batting choices
Former India batter and batting coach Sanjay Bangar expressed disappointment with Lucknow captain Rishabh Pant’s approach during the innings. Pant was dismissed for a duck by Nandre Burger.
Assessing Pant’s form, Bangar said the shot selection at the start of the innings did not look right. He noted that in Pant’s first three balls, the batter went for swinging across the line each time. Bangar added that as a top-order player with extensive international experience, Pant would be frustrated with those early decisions, pointing to his body language as evidence that he knew he had misjudged the situation. Bangar concluded that with greater clarity in his early approach, Pant would be able to generate far better returns.
