Danish Kaneria backs Ravindra Jadeja to be India's 'most valuable player' in WTC Final

Former Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria has confidently predicted that star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja will be Team India's 'Most Valuable Player' in the upcoming ICC World Test Championship final against New Zealand that will be contested at Ageas Rose Bowl in Southampton on June 18.

Danish Kaneria believes that Jaddu will star for the current top-ranked Test side in all three departments of the game during the WTC Final.

Danish Kaneria predicts India's 'Most Valuable Player' for WTC final

While interacting on his official  YouTube channel, Danish Kaneria went on to say that irrespective of what format a player is featuring in, he reckons that bowlers play a very important role and they will go on to win the match if they are taking wickets.

The veteran spinner then gave special mention to Ravindra Jadeja by calling him a ' triple-dimensional player' and then went on add that the latter is such a player that one just cannot keep him out and he simply has to play.

"He will give you key wickets in key intervals. He will give your runs lower down the order, stitch partnerships and will even affect a couple of brilliant run-outs while fielding. So, he is going to be the most valuable player in the final for India," Danish Kaneria added.

The last time India and New Zealand had met in an ICC tournament, it was Ravindra Jadeja who was the Men In Blue's star performer with the bat, ball in hand, and on the field. On the second day of the high-voltage rain-curtailed World Cup 2019 semi-final that was played at Old Trafford, Manchester, the Gujarat cricketer had accounted for opener Henry Nicholls and finished his spell with figures of 1/34 from his 10 overs at an economy rate of 3.40. 

Jaddu also impressed one and all with his live-wire fielding performances towards the backend of the New Zealand innings. He took an exceptional catch in the deep to send back Tom Latham as the wicket-keeper batsman tried to clear the field on the leg side off Bhuvneshwar Kumar's bowling. Ravindra Jadeja then effected an unbelievable run out to dismiss a well-set Ross Taylor for 74 as he came running in from the deep and struck a direct hit to get the latter's number and the Kiwis were restricted to a manageable total of 239/8 from their 50 overs.

However, what should have been a regulation chase for the Indian batsmen turned out to be a nightmarish experience as Virat Kohli & Co. were reduced to 5/3 and then 24/4 inside the Powerplay overs and when the scorecard read 92/6, it appeared that the two-time world champions would suffer a humiliating defeat but, Ravindra Jadeja once again came to the rescue with a quickfire 77 and staged a 116-run stand with MS Dhoni for the seventh-wicket.

In fact, it appeared as if the Jamnagar all-rounder would single-handedly take India to their fourth World Cup final which wasn't to be as he perished while trying to match up with the steep asking rate. In the 48th over, Ravindra Jadeja miscued a delivery from Trent Boult while attempting to deposit him into the stands only to find Kane Williamson at mid-off.

That sounded the death knell for India and MS Dhoni's heartbreaking run out in the following over completed the formalities and the Men In Blue were bundled out for 221 with a couple of balls to spare and were knocked out of the tournament.