Ravindra Jadeja claims his first priority is to regain 100 per cent fitness

“I
am
feeling
good
to
be
back
on
the
field.
Very
excited.
Hopefully,
it
will
come
good
as
a
team
and
as
an
individual
also,”
Jadeja,
who
will
lead
Saurashtra
in
their
final
Ranji
Trophy
Group
B
league
match
against
Tamil
Nadu
beginning
here
on
Tuesday,
told
reporters.

Ravindra
Jadeja
on
his
current
fitness

“…See
my
first
priority
is
to
get
on
the
field
and
be
fit…100
per
cent
fit.
Once
I
am
100
per
cent
fit,
I
will
work
more
on
my
skills,
whether
it
is
batting
or
bowling.
Now,
my
first
priority
is
fitness…”

Ravindra
Jadeja
to
lead
Saurashtra
in
Ranji
Trophy
against
Tamil
Nadu
in
Chennai,
eyeing
India
comeback

Jadeja
had
to
undergo
knee
surgery
last
year
after
playing
for
India
last
in
August.
He
said
he
had
spent
time
at
the
National
Cricket
Academy
(NCA)
in
Bengaluru
and
added
that
he
wanted
game
time
before
the
Test
series
against
the
visiting
Australians.

Jadeja
talks
about
his
rehab
at
NCA

“I
was
at
the
NCA
for
20
days.
I
was
batting
and
bowling.
Match
scenario
is
different.
I
wanted
one
game
before
the
Australia
series,
that’s
why
I
am
here.”

He
has
been
picked
in
the
India
squad
for
the
first
two
Tests
subject
to
fitness.
When
asked
if
there
was
any
discomfort
now,
Jadeja
said:
“Not
really…after
five
months
I
am
playing
competitive
cricket,
so
you
don’t
feel
confident
initially.

“But
as
you
progress,
then
definitely
you
get
better
and
better.
Injury
is
part
of
any
sport.
If
you
get
injured,
you
have
to
start
from
scratch.
The
same
thing
in
cricket.
“I
was
out
of
action
for
5
months.
I
have
to
build
my
fitness.
Once
I
get
the
confidence,
I
will
definitely
work
on
my
skills
and
I
will
get
better
day
by
day.”

He
mentioned
that
it
probably
was
his
longest
time
out
of
the
game.
“I
think
so…because
of
surgery,”
Jadeja
revealed
it
was
a
ligament
tear.

“You
feel
bad.
Nobody
wants
to
get
injured
at
your
peak
time.
It
is
part
of
the
game.
You
have
to
keep
that
in
mind
and
be
prepared
for
it.
You
can’t
do
anything.
There
is
no
guarantee
that
one
won’t
get
injured
in
cricket.

“It
was
a
ligament
tear.
It
is
coming
good.
I
am
slowly
getting
confident.”
Jadeja
emphasised
that
though
he
had
been
practising
at
the
NCA,
a
match
is
a
different
ball
game.

“As
I
said,
a
match
is
a
different
thing.
Different
ball
game…I
will
try
to
give
my
100
per
cent.
I
will
try
to
go
slowly,
slowly.
Let’s
see
how
my
leg
is
feeling
and
then
we
will
see.”

With
star
keeper-batter
Rishabh
Pant
expected
to
be
out
of
action
for
a
considerable
time
after
being
involved
in
a
road
mishap
last
month,
the
focus
would
be
on
the
player
to
don
the
big
gloves
in
the
Tests
against
the
Aussies
and
Jadeja
gave
both
Srikar
Bharat
and
Ishan
Kishan
a
thumbs
up
for
the
role.

“I
am
comfortable
with
everyone.
First,
I
need
to
be
comfortable…(laughs)
They
both
are
very
good
keepers.
Srikar
Bharat
is
coming
into
the
squad
now.
He
has
to
learn
a
lot
of
things.
He
will
learn
and
get
better
and
better
as
he
plays
more
games.”

Asked
how
challenging
it
was
mentally
to
return
to
full
fitness,
the
ace
all-rounder
said,
“Actually,
fortunately,
I
was
busy
with
some
other
things…It
helped
me
a
lot.

“I
was
not
thinking
too
much
about
cricket,
or
two-three
months
after
I
got
injured
and
had
my
surgery.
I
was
busy
with
some
election
things(her
wife’s),
that
helped
me
a
lot,”
Jadeja
signed
off.