Former India spinner Pragyan Ojha explained
why left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja gets preference over Ravichandran Ashwin
when India play overseas. Ojha said it is Jadeja’s ability to contribute with
the bat consistently that gives him an edge over Ashwin, who has taken 427 wickets in 81
Tests.

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Ojha also said when spin greats Anil Kumble
and Harbhajan Singh played on overseas conditions, the latter was picked as the
main spinner when the opposition had more left-handers.

“When Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh
were playing, the thinking of the team was different. The team management always
wanted specialist spinners in the side which India had two in Kumble and
Harbhajan. Both were quite exceptional. So Harbhajan would play when the
opposition had more left-handers in the side and Kumble was mostly present as
the first spinner in the team,” said Ojha on cricket-turned-commentator
Aakash Chopra’s YouTube channel.

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Talking about the present team composition
of the Indian team, Ojha, who played 24 Tests, 18 ODIs and six T20Is for India,
said that the team management and captain Virat Kohli want to go with five
batters, which makes Jadeja a handy option with the bat. The 33-year-old Jadeja
has one hundred and 17 fifties in Test cricket. He has, so far, scored 2195
runs in 57 Tests at an average of 33.77.

“Now, the thinking has changed. The captain
wants to go with five batters. When you go in with five batters and have Jadeja
as an option, he makes 30-40 runs on a consistent basis in away conditions and
60, 70, or 80 runs in Indian conditions.

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“This makes both spinners play in
India while Jadeja makes a strong case for himself for overseas Tests. Maybe
that is why he is being selected over Ashwin,” Ojha further said.

Jadeja is not part of the Indian squad

Jadeja, however, is not part of the Indian
Test squad for the upcoming tour of South Africa, starting with the Centurion
Test on December 26. Jadeja, Shubman Gill, Axar Patel, Rahul Chahar were not
available for selection due to injuries and are currently undergoing
rehabilitation.

Also Read: Who is Ravindra Jadeja?

In absence of Jadeja, Jayant Yadav was
selected, with Ashwin acting as the main spinner of the side. India will play
three Tests in South Africa, starting with the Boxing Day Test on December 26,
with the subsequent two matches set to be played in Johannesburg and Cape Town.