A troubled knee requiring surgery has kept the Indian all-round star out of cricket since the August 2022 Asia Cup which also forced him to miss the T20 World Cup. But now the 34-year-old is back on the pitch after rigorous rehabilitation and was seen training with the Indian squad in Nagpur and poised for an international comeback in the first Test against Australia.
In an interview published on the BCCI website, Jadeja shed light on the grueling process of his recovery and how the physical therapists and coaches at the NCA (National Cricket Academy) in Bengaluru worked around the clock to get him back to full physical fitness.
“Do it for the country” were the motivating words from the coaches that propelled Jadeja on her tough journey after the surgery.
“I am very excited and happy that after almost more than five months, I can wear the Indian jersey again. I have been blessed that I have been given the opportunity again and the journey to get here has been full of ups and downs. Because If you haven’t played cricket for five months, it becomes very frustrating and of course I was looking forward to getting fit as soon as possible so that I can go and play for India” Jadeja said.
Thrill of return 👌Story behind the recovery 👍Happiness to wear #TeamIndia shirt once again 😊Handyman… https://t.co/t3rHLCpHHr
—BCCI (@BCCI) 1675597024000
Jadeja revealed how difficult the first two months after surgery were when his family and friends came together and supported him.
“I had a problem with my knee and sooner or later I had to have surgery. But I had to make the decision whether I was going to do it before or after the World Cup. So the doctor also advised me to do it before the World Cup because my chances of playing the World Cup were much less anyway, so I made up my mind and went for surgery.
“The period after (the surgery) was quite difficult because you have to do rehabilitation and training all the time. Did you have thoughts in your head about your fitness When you watched the matches on TV, like you were watching the World Cup, I wished that I was there.
“These little things motivate you to speed up the recovery process,” she said of the post-surgery recovery period.
“The physical therapists and coaches at NCA worked a lot on my knee. Even when NCA was closed on Sundays, they came to treat me in a special way. The two months following the injury were especially hard because I couldn’t go anywhere part, I could not walk properly. It was a rather critical moment and there my family and friends stood by my side. The NCA trainers also boosted my confidence,” he added.
The southpaw recently got his game back when he featured in the last round of Saurashtra’s Ranji Trophy match against Tamil Nadu.
“I felt a little uncomfortable because I haven’t been out in the sun for five months. I was doing an indoor workout so when I got halfway through I thought if my body could handle it.
“The first day was very tough and we all know about the heat in Chennai. Then my body acclimatised to the situation and I felt good and fit,” he said.
The inclusion of Jadeja for the series against Australia will give the Indian team a solid boost in all three departments while Rohit Sharma and co. you have to win the series handsomely to make it to the final of the ICC world test championship.
