London : India’s Ravindra Jadeja is an exceptional cricketer and England are happy that he featured only in the fifth and final Test, said the home team’s assistant coach Paul Farbrace. Coming into bat at No. 8, Jadeja scored his ninth Test half-century to rescue India from 160-6 to 292 in the first innings.
“It was very frustrating. There was a chance dropped before that last partnership got going but to be fair to Jadeja, he played magnificently well,” Farbrace said on Sunday.
“I think he’s an exceptional cricketer, a dangerous cricketer – with bat, ball and in the field – and I think we would probably be reasonably happy that he’s only just played in that last game.”
Farbrace said the record run-scorer Alastair Cook will be hugely missed in the dressing room. “As much as we’re going to miss his runs and his catches, I think the calming influence he has among the team, the staff, everybody, is something we’ll all miss when he’s not in the dressing-room,” he said.
“He seems to have the respect of everybody, and everyone is very comfortable talking to him. He’s got a very down-to-earth way, that cheeky sense of humour – and people find themselves being drawn to him. He’s just a very caring bloke, and someone you can talk to about anything and everything.”
