Jadeja: Dhoni standing back due to footmarks
India spinner Ravi Jadeja has explained that wicketkeeper MS Dhoni has been standing back while keeping to him because it gives Dhoni more time to react to the way the ball moves out of the foot marks at Lord's.
India spinner Ravi Jadeja has explained that wicketkeeper MS Dhoni has been standing back while keeping to him because it gives Dhoni more time to react to the way the ball moves out of the foot marks at Lord's.
Dhoni was seen standing back to Jadeja, a slightly quicker spinner than most, in the evening of day four and the morning of day five of the second Test against England, and Jadeja said it was to counteract the variable bounce.
Jadeja explained on <i>bcci.tv</i>: "It was because of the foot marks, it was very difficult for the left-hander, as the odd ball was taking off, a few kept low and some turned square.
"We thought it would be a good idea for the keeper to stand back because in case there was a nick, it would be an easy catch for him standing back.
"And that's exactly what happened in the second last over but then MS was standing up to the stumps."
As for his batting, Jadeja scored 68 at better than a run a ball on day four, and said he decided to play his own game rather than be overly cautious, and it worked for him as he put India in a strong position.
The all-rounder added: "I started thinking how I was going to play and decided that the best way for me is to play my game. If I play any differently I won't get runs.
"So I decided that irrespective of the situation I will back myself and go for my shots. That's the only way I can score runs. When I went in to bat, the team also needed runs."
He then explained his bat-twirling celebration upon reaching his fifty, saying: "It has got to do with a tradition that we have among the Rajpoots.
"During festivals and special occasions, we have professional sword-fighters perform with a sword in each hand, moving them in that fashion. It's called talwaar baazi. I only had one bat with me so I did it with one hand.
"I wanted to have a different celebration and so I had decided whenever I get a fifty, I will do that. MS bhai must have seen it and realized what I was doing. So, he was mimicking me."
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