Jadeja happy to repay Kohli's faith with fighting fifty

Selected in the playing XI in place of Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja justified his selection with a vital knock of 58 to lead India to 297 in the first innings.

Jadeja celebrates after scoring his fifty.

After scoring a much needed half-century against West Indies on the second day of the first Test, India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has said that he was trying to deliver his best.

Asked to bat first, India was reeling at 189/6, before Jadeja ensured the visitor reach a good total and stayed in the middle with the tailenders to help his side reach 297 runs in the first innings with a knock of 58 runs.

Speaking after the day's play on Friday, Jadeja said: “When I was batting out there in the middle, I just looked to build a partnership. I was focussing to play with the tailenders. I was just worried about my game, I was trying to give my best out on the park.”

After stumper Rishabh Pant fell down early on the second day, Ishant Sharma and Jadeja stitched together a 60-run partnership for the eighth wicket.

Jadeja said that he was constantly talking to Ishant to put together a strong partnership.

“We (partnership with Ishant) were thinking about one over at a time,” the all-rounder said.

“I am just very positive in my mind, my shot selection is positive. When Rishabh got out, I was talking to Ishant about staying out in the middle and building a partnership. It is not good for opponents if the lower order is constantly scoring runs, so it was the gameplan from our side,” he added.

He also expressed happiness after being included in the first Test and felt he has repaid the faith shown on him by skipper Virat Kohli.

“Obviously you feel good when the skipper believes in you, thinks of you as the main player. Luckily, I have been able to repay the faith by performing well,” Jadeja said.

Meanwhile, he also praised Ishant for his five-wicket haul.

“Ishant bowled well. The two caught and bowled were remarkable, and I believe those two dismissals are the turning point. On this wicket, you have to bowl in the right areas. Ishant’s rhythm improved by each over he bowled. If he did not hold on to two return catches, the situation might have been different. Those two dismissals helped us in turning the momentum onto our side,” he concluded.