Agencies
MUMBAI: One of the biggest hitters in Indian cricket, Salim Durrani has hailed Ravindra Jadeja after the Saurashtra all-rounder topped the International Cricket Council’s rankings for one-day international bowlers.
Jadeja and West Indian spinner Sunil Narine share the top slot.
With this accomplishment, Jadeja has joined Kapil Dev, Anil Kumble and Maninder Singh who held the top slot in ODI bowling at some time in their career.
Hailing Judeja, 78-year-old Durrani, who was known for his big sixes, said, “I would say Jadeja is 80 per cent of Valentine, who I was fortunate to play against in the West Indies on the 1961-62 tour. Of course, he was over the hill by then, but Jadeja is similar to him with his three to four-step run-up and release.’’
Valentine was a West Indian tall left spinner who played 36 Tests and took 139 wickets in the 1950s
Durrani told the Mumbai daily Mid-Day, “Jadeja bowls with his shoulder and uses his palm well too. He rolls the ball with four fingers and that is why he is able to get that extra bounce. “He has immaculate line and length and I reckon he deceives the batsmen in his change of trajectory. Valentine was like that as well.’’
The former all-rounder also praised Ravindra Jadeja for his temperament. “ I’ve never seen him flustered. His calmness is quite a factor and to top it all, he is a great trier.”
