Ravindra Jadeja has finally opened up about the turbulent time he had as Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain during the IPL 2022 season. In a conversation with teammate Ravichandran Ashwin on the YouTube show Kutti Stories with Ash, Jadeja admitted that his short captaincy stint was “difficult” and far from ideal.
Jadeja Reflects on His Tough Leadership Phase
Jadeja took over the CSK captaincy from MS Dhoni just before the start of IPL 2022. But CSK won only 2 of their first 8 games under his leadership. With the team struggling and his personal form dipping, Jadeja stepped down mid-season and handed the reins back to Dhoni.
“It was difficult. Every ball is an event in T20. If the team is not doing well, all the blame comes on the captain,” Jadeja said, adding that he could have done things better and learned a lot from the experience.
Stats Reveal His Dip in Form
As captain, Jadeja scored only 112 runs in 8 matches at an average of 22.4 and a strike rate of 121.7. In comparison, he had scored 459 runs in the previous two seasons combined at an average of 57.3 and a strike rate of 157.7.
His bowling also suffered—managing only 5 wickets in 8 games, with an economy of 8.1 and average of 42.6. This was a significant drop from his earlier performances where he averaged just 7.7 in economy.
A Lesson for the Future
Jadeja clarified that he had discussions with MS Dhoni and coach Stephen Fleming before stepping down. CSK owner N Srinivasan was also consulted. Jadeja said he wanted to focus on his game and let Dhoni lead again.
His honesty and openness about the challenging phase have been appreciated by fans, with many praising his courage to speak up after two years.
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