World Cup 2019: All-rounder Kedar Jadhav dropped too early?

Kedar Jadhav. Pic/AFP

Team India's policy of chopping and changing is often baffling. Yesterday, for the match against Bangladesh here at Edgbaston, India dropped Kedar Jadhav from the XI and brought in Dinesh Karthik. They now had four proper wicketkeepers in the XI with the likes of KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, MS Dhoni and Karthik. So much for balance! Earlier, it was categorically stated by chief selector MSK Prasad that Karthik will only play if Dhoni is not fit. However, as it turned out yesterday, Karthik got a look-in despite Dhoni's presence. That's for another day to discuss.

Let's discuss the curious case of Jadhav. He did his best at No. 6 with a fighting 52 against Afghanistan to give India the late push to their total. The margin of victory was just 11 runs in that match.

Jadhav was criticised along with Dhoni for not showing enough intent in chasing England's 337 in their previous match at the same venue here on Sunday. Jadhav, who came with just five overs remaining in the chase, remained unbeaten on 12 off 13 balls.

For someone who has bowled regularly in the lead-up to the World Cup, it was surprising that Jadhav has only got six overs in the tournament - one each against West Indies and Australia and four against South Africa. He has conceded 34 runs in the tournament without any wicket.

It was a completely different scenario before the World Cup when Jadhav bowled 19 and 23 overs in the New Zealand and Australia series respectively. A slinging, awkward bowling action was one of the reasons why he made the cut for the World Cup.

When India vice-captain Rohit Sharma was asked after the 31-run loss to England about why Jadhav was not tried despite the two wrist spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal going for 160 runs collectively in their 20 overs, he said: "What can I say if he didn't bowl?"

It did provide a hint that the opinion in the team is divided over the use of Jadhav as a bowler. After a pause, Rohit reasoned: "The conditions I guess, because there were two right-handers batting for the majority of the innings. They got like 160, 170 over that partnership, and when you have that kind of a start, it's not easy for the sixth bowler to come and bowl. We saw this even in their team - the sixth bowler didn't bowl many overs. Adil Rashid, their prime bowler, bowled only, I think, six overs, and [Ben] Stokes bowled four overs."

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