Former India cricketer Deep Dasgupta lauded star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja's scintillating performance in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy opener after a six-month injury layoff.
Jadeja was brilliant with both bat and ball in Nagur, taking five wickets and scoring a gritty half-century that demonstrated his mental fortitude.
He made his competitive cricket comeback with a brilliant seven-wicket haul against Tamil Nadu in a Ranji match. The 34-year-old all-rounder was injured during India's Asia Cup campaign last year and has been sidelined since September 2022. As a result, he was unable to participate in India's T20 World Cup campaign in Australia.
"Absolutely, and that after a six-month break. He played some first-class cricket, but this is Australia, and these players are international. And after six months of demonstrating such temperament and discipline in both his batting and bowling, he played more than 150 balls, and the thing about Ravindra Jadeja is that he has so many different shots, he plays a safe inning, and he maintains a normal strike rate "Dasgupta stated this on Star Sports' 'Follow the Blues'.
"This mental discipline can also be seen in his bowling. That is why he is regarded as one of the best, and in my opinion, he is the best all-rounder in possibly all forms "He went on to say.
The first Test in Nagpur was called off after three days because the Australian batters were unable to deal with the spin duo of Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin, who claimed 15 of the 20 wickets.
The former cricketer also discussed Australia's chances of a comeback following their humiliating loss in the first Test, claiming that Pat Cummins' side has the potential to bounce back with only minor changes to their lineup.
"If you look at it solely from a talent standpoint, they definitely have the potential to make a comeback. A lot of good players who weren't available for this match will be available with a few changes "He stated.
"But the big question is whether they have the right mindset. Can they manage it mentally? When India was defeated in Adelaide last year, we mentally recovered from that 36-all-out situation. Can Australia mentally recover? That is the crucial question."