Loss with young team gets pointed out more, says Jadeja
Jadeja is two weeks shy of turning 37 and said that a home series defeat is humbling but a valuable learning experience for the young players in the India squad.
New Delhi: Losing at home brings more focus on the young players in the Test team while it is generally glossed over in case of victories, Ravindra Jadeja said on Tuesday.
India are on the verge of losing their two-Test series against South Africa, having been reduced to 27/2 in chase of 549 runs going into the final day.
Jadeja is two weeks shy of turning 37 and said that a home series defeat is humbling but a valuable learning experience for the young players in the India squad.
Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar are all in the early stages of their respective Test careers.
"Look, the youngsters in the team, I think, they are in a learning phase. Their careers are starting. So, in international cricket, no matter what format you play, it's not easy. No matter what format you play, it's always a bit challenging," the left-armer said.
"So, in India, when a situation like this happens, and you play 3-4 youngsters in the team, it feels like the whole team is young and inexperienced. And that gets highlighted.
"But, when India wins in home condition, people think that it's not a big deal. But, if you lose a series in India, it becomes a very big deal.
"For a youngster, it's a learning phase. If they handle this situation well, they will mature as players. And, India's future will be better."
‘Pitch played out differently’
India struggled in both matches of the series after preparing turning tracks and found themselves at the wrong end of the conditions when they batted first in the ongoing second Test in Guwahati.
"See, honestly, as a bowler, when we were bowling for the first two days, there were no marks on the wicket. The wicket was shining like a mirror,” the all-rounder said.
"And, when they came to bowl, because of the wicket taken by the fast bowler, the spinners came into play more. And, their ball was turning and bouncing."
India conceded a 288-run first innings lead, which allowed South Africa to bat without any pressure in their second innings.
"So, as I said, the situation matters a lot in cricket. If it were the other way around, if we were 300 runs ahead and they came to bat, then it's possible that we would have won by a large margin," he said.