"It just wasn't his day....": Morkel defends Jadeja's wicketless outing on day 2 of Brisbane Test

Brisbane [Australia], December 15 : Following a challenging day with the ball on day two of the third Test against Australia, Indian bowling coach Morne Morkel defended the inclusion of spin-bowling all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, stating that he was picked for his left-arm spin and simply had an off day.
A 241-run partnership between centurions Steve Smith and Travis Head put Indian bowlers under immense pressure after three early wickets had fallen on Sunday. Jadeja had a particularly tough outing, conceding 76 runs in 16 overs at an economy rate of 4.75.
Addressing Jadeja's selection after Washington Sundar and Ravichandran Ashwin featured in the first two Tests, Morkel said during the post-day press conference, "Yeah, I mean, Jaddu (Jadeja), sort of if you look at it, coming into this Test match, has had a lot of game time. But he is also a guy who has taken a lot of Test wickets. You know, he is a very experienced player.
"And we just felt we wanted to bring in the left-arm option as something different, you know, sitting with Rohit. So, yeah, Jaddu is a guy that can also offer us a lot with the bat. Unfortunately, today was not his day as a spinner. They are going to put you under pressure; it's sort of in their game plan to target him and force us to bring back our main strike bowlers. But yeah, Jaddu, for me, is a world-class player," he added.
Morkel also mentioned that the pitch is good for batting and emphasised the importance of India negotiating the new ball when they get their turn to bat.
"I think for us, it is important now to put today behind us and get our minds switched on and strong for a big batting innings," he concluded.
In the match, India won the toss and opted to bowl first. After a wicketless start on day one, which lasted around 13 overs, India returned on day two with renewed energy. They removed Usman Khawaja (21 off 54 balls, with three fours), Nathan McSweeney (9), and Marnus Labuschagne (12) early, reducing Australia to 75/3.
However, the 241-run stand between Smith (101 off 190 balls, with 12 fours) and Head (152 off 160 balls, with 18 fours) created a significant challenge for India, leaving them without answers. After Jasprit Bumrah (5/72) broke the partnership, India managed to pick up a few quick wickets. Still, Australia ended the day strongly at 405/7, with Alex Carey (45*) and Mitchell Starc (7*) unbeaten at the crease.