Abu Dhabi: Chennai Super Kings' star performer against Kolkata Knight Riders on Sunday, Ravindra Jadeja, said that blasting runs at the crucial stage when he came in to bat was more important than saving his wicket, given that all eyes were on him to guide his team to victory at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
Jadeja smashed an eight-ball 22, embellished with two fours and an equal number of maximum hits, as he notched up a strike-rate or 275 to put his team on course to a two-wicket victory in a last-ball thriller.
Jadeja said that transitioning from playing Test cricket to coming and competing in a T20 tournament was the biggest challenge he faced on return from England, where he was a part of the India Test side.
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"It is difficult. You have been playing Test cricket for five months and suddenly you have to come and play white-ball cricket. It was difficult. In the nets also I was working my bat-swing. So I was thinking whatever I have done in the nets I have to repeat in the match," he said after bagging the 'player of the match' award.
"The runs I got in the second-last over was more important than the wicket because that was match-winning over for us. Everybody played their role in the team. Rutu (Ruturaj Gaikwad), Faf (du Plessis), they gave us a good start. That's what you need as a team; you need to be collective as a batting and bowling unit."
Jadeja hit two sixes and two fours in the penultimate over against Prasidh Krishna to turn the game.
"I was just backing my strength. I knew he (Krishna) was bowling with fine leg and square leg up, so he was going to bowl a wide yorker or a slower ball. So I was waiting for that and he bowled a length ball and I was ready, luckily I connected off the middle of the bat and we are on the winning side today."
IANS
