Ravindra Jadeja had a forgettable IPL season this year with Chennai Super Kings after he was handed the captaincy of the team. Jadeja was appointed skipper before the start of the season but he could not produce results like CSK was used to under MS Dhoni's leadership. It seemed like captaincy was affecting Ravindra Jadeja's game as well because he was unable to do much with either bat or ball. Following this, Jadeja gave up the job mid-season and handed it back to MS Dhoni.
However, English cricketer Moeen Ali who has played for CSK under MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja's captaincy said that the all-rounder can do well as a captain. The English all-rounder believes that Ravindra Jadeja has a good brain and can potentially do well as a leader in the future.
“He’s (Jadeja) inexperienced in terms of captaincy and leading CSK was tough for him this year because we weren’t playing well as a team. But he has got a good brain and he potentially could be a good leader in the future” Moeen Ali said while speaking to Sports Today.
Moeen Ali explained the similarities that MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja have as captains.
“I have played under him. I have played under MS Dhoni as well. There is not much difference between both of them in terms of the characteristics - very calm, very loyal to their players. Brilliant captain, brilliant player,” he further added.
Asked about the impact of England captain Eoin Morgan’s retirement, Ali was high praises for his World Cup winning captain and said that the fearless brand of cricket that are England playing at the moment under Ben Stokes, was started by Morgan in the white-ball format.
“We were horrendous in white ball cricket before that (2015 World Cup). He changed the mindset of the players. Actually, the way England are playing now in Test cricket, I believe, is actually because of him. He showed that if you have the mindset, you can play fearless cricket, which we are playing now,” Ali said.
Moeen Ali was the part of the England team which hit a record 498 runs against the Netherlands. While he did not get to bat in the game, Ali managed to pick three wickets from his 10 overs in the second innings.
Jadeja managed only 112 runs in the matches that he led CSK in. With the ball, he claimed only five wickets in those eight games.
During the discussion on leadership, Moeen also paid tribute to England’s former white-ball captain Eoin Morgan, who retired from international cricket on Tuesday. Comparing Morgan to former Indian skipper MS Dhoni, he said:
Asked what according to him would be Morgan’s greatest legacy, the 35-year-old said that the retired cricketer took England from the dark days to the really good days of white-ball cricket. He elaborated:
“We were horrendous in white ball cricket before that. He changed the mindset of the players. Actually, the way England are playing now in Test cricket, I believe, is actually because of him. He showed that if you have the mindset, you can play fearless cricket, which we are playing now.”
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