After India beat Australia in its ODI World Cup 2023 opening match on Sunday, Ravindra Jadeja admitted that there was a little panic in the Indian dressing room after the team lost 3 wickets with just 2 runs on the board.
'Obviously when you are three wickets down in just a couple of overs, you panic a little bit, but we knew that Virat (Kohli) and (KL) Rahul, they have been doing this for the team in so many years. So I think nobody was too much hyper or panic at the time. But yeah, luckily they played brilliantly. They know the conditions well and they took the game forward until the last. So I think that was amazing to see,' said Jaddu in the post-match press conference.
Jadeja was the pick of the Indian bowlers with 3/28 from his 10 overs.
Talking about his bowling, the all-rounder admitted that Steve Smith's dismissal was the turning point in the Australia innings.
'I think that was the turning moment. You know, when you get the wicket like (of) Steve Smith from there onwards, their new batters, it was not easy to just come in and rotate the strike for the new batter. So, I think that I would say that wicket was the turning point. From there onwards, they were 119 for three and from 199 all out. So I think yeah, I would say that was the turning point and it helped me because I knew the conditions in Chennai. I've been playing here since like 10, 11 years, so I know the conditions at this ground. I enjoyed and whatever I contribute to the team, I always feel happy.'
Virat Kohli and KL Rahul staged a superb recovery from 2 for 3 in India's reply to Australia's below-par 199 all out to secure a six-wicket win for the host nation in their opening match at the Cricket World Cup.
Kohli hit 85 off 116 balls and delivered a calmly constructed fourth-wicket stand of 165 with player of the match Rahul (97 not out) as India reached 201-4 with 52 balls to spare in front of a passionate home crowd at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.
Australia had taken three wickets in the first two overs to leave India in a perilous position before Kohli and Rahul came