'I have that extra fraction of a second, and I move there quickly' - Ravindra Jadeja opens up on his fielding finesse

Ravindra Jadeja has been a vital cog of the Indian team across formats due to his three-dimensional abilities. While the southpaw can take the best of bowlers to cleaners, his ability to restrict the run flow makes him an even more tremendous asset. Like any other player, there have been some days when Jadeja hasn’t clicked with bat or ball. However, fielding is one department where the all-rounder hardly fails to deliver.

Jadeja is regarded as one of the finest fielders going around, and not many can argue over this. Be it taking an unbelievable-looking catch or infecting a run-out, the 31-year-old is a force to reckon with in every part of the field. One might get a notion that Jadeja trains hard to sharpen his fielding skills. However, that’s really not the case. The Saurashtra-born cricketer said that he doesn’t like to drain himself in training sessions to avoid injuries.

Ravindra Jadeja doesn’t prefer high-intensity training for fielding

“I tell the fielding coach R Sridhar that I won’t take hard hits in training. I would be happier getting injured in a match than in training. I tell him to give relatively slow catches, I will manage in the match. I know how to react in a match situation. So, I don’t do high-intensity training in fielding,” Jadeja said in an interaction with the New Indian Express.

Jadeja further asserted that it’s his anticipation abilities that make him stand out in the field. “I have that extra fraction of a second, and I move there quickly. So, at times, you will see me getting into positions and take ‘easy’ catches, but I know if it were someone else, it would have been a blinder as he hasn’t moved across quickly in anticipation,” the all-rounder opined.

The left-handed batsman admitted he’s natural in ‘fielding’ but also highlighted that he works a lot on shoulders, resulting in his quick throws. Jadeja would like to showcase his fielding prowess again when India takes on New Zealand in the ICC World Test Championship final next month. The southpaw has been in red-hot form lately and would be determined to shine in the summit clash.