World Cup 2023: Ravindra Jadeja identifies turning moment in India's win over Australia

Australia started strongly against India at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday. Steve Smith and David Warner picked up confidently despite losing Mitchell Marsh early.

World Cup 2023: News | Schedule | Results | Points table

They were going along comfortably, albeit slowly, until Ravindra Jadeja struck to run through the Australian middle-order with three wickets. From 110/2, Australia were reduced to 119/5 in the space of 16 balls to switch control in India’s favour.

Jadeja dismissed Steve Smith with an unplayable delivery that turned the batter square to beat his defence and quickly followed it up with wickets of Marnus Labuschagne and Alex Carey.

Against Smith, Jadeja bowled a delivery that was slower and turned plenty to beat his defensive push.

Smith, who had played all his seven ODIs in 2023 in India, was comfortable and looking good while compiling 46 runs. Jadeja identified his wicket as the turning point in India’s eventual 6-wicket win.

“I think that was the turning moment. When you get a wicket like Steve Smith, from there onwards it was not easy to just come in and rotate the strike for the new batter,” Jadeja said.

“I would say that wicket was the turning point. From there onwards, they were 110/3 and 199 all out.”

India vs Australia analysis: Team India school ill-prepared Aussies in unforgiving conditions

“This was my plan, that I should bowl at the stumps and luckily the ball to Smith turned a little more,” Jadeja said.

“My plan was simple. I was thinking that this is a Test match bowling wicket, I shouldn’t experiment too much because everything was happening in the wicket. So I was trying to bowl it stump to stump.”

Asked on India’s spin trio playing different roles for the team, Jadeja said it was just about getting wickets on a pitch that offered turn.

“There is no specific role. It was about getting as many wickets as quickly as we could,” Jadeja said with a laugh.

Virat Kohli (85) and KL Rahul (97 not out) led the chase with a 165 run stand after losing three wickets for two runs.

“Three wickets down, there was panic. But we know Virat and Rahul, they have been doing this for the team since so many years,” said Jadeja.

“They payed brilliantly. They knew the conditions well. It was amazing to see.”