India vs Hong Kong Asia Cup 2022: There was a rumour that I DIED, reveals Ravindra Jadeja

IND vs HK: Ravindra Jadeja said on Tuesday that the Men-in-Blue will play their upcoming Asia Cup 2022 match against Hong Kong with a positive mindset and will not take them lightly.

Photo: IANS

IND vs HK Asia Cup 2022: Team India all-rounder and former Chennai Super Kings captain Ravindra Jadeja was one of the heroes of the victory over arch-rivals Pakistan in their Asia Cup 2022 opener in Dubai on Sunday (August 28). Jadeja revealed that there was constant speculation around him as well as rumours about him.

After a journalist pointed out that there were reports that he will miss the T20 World Cup 2022 due to injury during the pre-match conference ahead of their second match against Hong Kong on Wednesday (August 31), Jadeja recalled reading a news that he has passed away.

“You have mentioned a very minor example (of a rumour) that I won’t be available for the World Cup. In between, there was a rumour that I had died. It can’t get bigger than this. I don’t think about all these (rumours). I focus on going to the ground, playing and performing well for the country,” Jadeja said in a pre-match press conference.

Jadeja said on Tuesday that the Men-in-Blue will play their upcoming Asia Cup 2022 match against Hong Kong with a positive mindset and will not take them lightly.

“We are going to play against Hong Kong with a positive mindset and we will not take them lightly. On a given day, anything can happen in T20Is. We will give our best and play positively,” said Jadeja in a press conference.

The all-rounder said that Indian spinners bowled really well against Pakistan even though it was the pacers who took all the wickets. “Spinners also contributed. But sometimes it happens that you bowl well and you do not get wickets but fast bowlers do not bowl that well but get wickets. T20I is like that. The pacers get wickets on a full toss sometimes. Everyone bowled well and pacers gave us wickets when we needed them. Hardik Pandya gave us breakthroughs, then Bhuvneshwar took two in an over,” he said.

Incredible win
Excellent beginning pic.twitter.com/OTryERFSOs — Ravindrasinh jadeja (@imjadeja) August 29, 2022

Sunday’s match against Pakistan was the first instance in India’s T20I cricket history that pacers took all 10 wickets. On his promotion up the order during the Pakistan match, Jadeja said that he was promoted to play well against leg-spinners and left-arm spinners.

“Sometimes, left-arm spinners and leg spinners are bowling, so sending left-handed batters is easy and they can take chances. That is why I was promoted. We had seen their (Pakistan) playing XI, they had a left-arm spinner and leg spinner. So I was aware that I could face this situation. I prepared myself mentally accordingly. Luckily, I went and my knock was crucial,” he said.

(with ANI inputs)