India skipper Rohit Sharma on Sunday lavished praise on Ravindra Jadeja, saying the stylish all-rounder showcased his "selfless" attitude by urging the team management to declare when he was batting on 175, here.
India thrashed Sri Lanka by an innings and 222 runs inside just three days in Mohali on Sunday to go 1-0 up in the two-match series on Sunday.
The hosts declared on 574/8 before tea on Day 2 with Jadeja unbeaten on 175 after a 103-run stand with Mohammed Shami for the 9th wicket.
Several questions were raised on social media when India declared with Jadeja just 25 runs short of his maiden double hundred in Test cricket.
However, Rohit cleared the air after the match on Sunday, saying Jadeja decided to end the innings and send Sri Lanka into bat in the final session on Saturday in Mohali.
"There was a question whether to declare or not, it was the team's decision, Jadeja's decision to put them in and shows how selfless he is," Rohit told reporters.
Notably, Jadeja himself clarified on Saturday that he had suggested a declaration to the team management.
“Yeah there was a message coming from inside and I was also telling them. When I was batting, balls had started taking spin and there was variable bounce. So I told them that the wicket is playing tricks and we can put them [Sri Lanka] into bat,” said Jadeja during the press conference after Day 2.
“They were on the field for almost two days and were naturally tired. So it wouldn’t have been easy for them to come out and start playing shots and stay further on the field. So our plan was to score quickly and declare as soon as possible,” he added.
(With inputs from IANS)
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