Ravindra Jadeja credits MS Dhoni for fighting 50 in 3rd ODI vs AUS, says watched & learnt

Crediting former India captain MS Dhoni for his match-winning knock against Australia in the third ODI in Canberra, all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja stated that he tried to emulate what his Chennai skipper would have done in the same situation. The Indian all-rounder came in to bat at crunch situation, when India were five wickets down at just 152 runs, in the dead rubber. Highlighting that MS Dhoni has played in the 'similar situation' plenty of times, Jadeja added that the former India skipper would often tell him to take it till the last over. 

Jadeja amassed 66 runs off 50 balls at a strike rate of 132 to take India to a competitive total. He stitched a significant partnership with Hardik Pandya worth over 150 runs as India won the third ODI to garner some momentum going into the T20 series. Pandya himself played a blistering knock of 92 runs off 76 balls. 

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'He always used to...'

"Mahi bhai has played so much cricket for India and Chennai. He always had a set pattern. He would go in and look to build a partnership with the batsman. He always used to het himself set and look to play the big shots. He has played in such situations so many times," Jadeja said while speaking to the Indian broadcasters after the match. 

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“By looking at him and given the fact that I have batted with him so many times, he always used to tell me that if we can take it till the last then we can score a lot of runs in the final four-five overs,” he added. The Indian all-rounder has often batted with MS Dhoni as the two have played together for the Chennai franchise in the IPL, apart from playing together in the Indian national team. 

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Chasing a stiff target of 303, the Aussies were bundled out for 289 in the final over as India managed a consolation win by 13 runs. Even though the five-time world champions could not register a whitewash, they had already taken an unassailable 2-0 lead coming into this dead-rubber contest in Canberra. The hosts lost the prized wickets of Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith as they were reduced to 56/2 and that is when skipper Aaron Finch decided to play a counter-attacking knock before he was outfoxed by Ravindra Jadeja for 75.

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