Jadhav, The Finisher, Establishes His Credentials

Says the team management has clearly stated the need for him to bat at No. 6

- Shreedutta Chidananda

Towards the end, Kedar Jadhav was treating the crowd to his party pieces: a short ball from Pat Cummins was helped over the wicketkeeper’s head, a full delivery from Nathan Coulter­Nile was effortlessly chipped over long on, and Adam Zampa was driven inside­out into the cover boundary.

Jadhav is a short man but he generates great power in his shots. After he chose to accelerate on Saturday, his last 51 runs came off 41 balls, with six fours and a six struck in that phase.

It was a fine display of Jadhav's qualities as a finisher, as he and M.S. Dhoni hauled India to victory over Australia in the first ODI here with a pair of half­centuries.

Filling the slot

"I've been batting at No. 6 for more than two years," he said later. "Since the series against England in India (January 2017), the team management has been looking at me as a finisher. They have clearly told me, 'You will be batting at No. 6 till the time you are there'.”