India’s veteran batter Cheteshwar Pujara has questioned Ravindra Jadeja’s inclusion in the team’s final XI in the ongoing third Test match against Australia at the Gabba, Brisbane. Pujara feels either Ravichandran Ashwin or Washington Sundar should have played ahead of Jadeja.

While India backed Washington Sundar in the opening Test at Perth, the visitors played Ravichandran Ashwin in the second game. For the third Test, India once again changed their spinning all-rounder and backed Jadeja in the team.

However, Jadeja went wicketless in the first innings of the third Test and conceded 95 runs in 23 overs he bowled. 

Cheteshwar Pujara said on ESPN Cricinfo, “I know he has been chosen as a batter who can bowl a bit. But, in Australian conditions, when you know that the strong opposition batters are left-handers – Travis Head, Usman (Khawaja), and Alex Carey all are left-handers. So, you want your off-spinner to be there. Even if you look at the rough, it’s mainly for the right-handers, so off-spinners will come into play eventually, even in the second innings.”

“That’s where I thought our thought process was not up to the mark. We could have gone with the off-spinner. It could have been Ashwin or Washington, but playing Jadeja was probably not the right call. He is one of the best players. He is a great batter and a great fielder, but probably to contain Aussies in those conditions, I thought it was a tough task for him,” Pujara added.

Playing either Ashwin or Sundar could have helped India in countering Travis Head, who scored a magnificent knock of 152 runs off just 160 balls. 

Meanwhile, India is struggling at 48-4 after Australia posted 445 runs in the first innings. The visitors have lost Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, and Rishabh Pant cheaply.