Former Indian Test batter Cheteshwar Pujara believes Ravindra Jadeja has shifted his bowling mindset from defensive run-restriction to aggressive wicket-taking approach. Jadeja has all the experience under his belt and has returned to India’s Test squad for the two-match series against Sri Lanka.

The left-arm orthodox spinner scalped 348 wickets in 89 Test matches at an average of 25.12 and he is going to hold the key in Sri Lankan conditions. Jadeja is only two wickets away from becoming the fourth player, who has 4000 Test runs and 350 wickets after Kapil Dev, Ian Botham and Daniel Vettori.

“Earlier, when Ravindra Jadeja used to bowl, his mindset was not to give away too many runs, especially in red-ball cricket. If there was a little help in the wicket, then he would try to take wickets. But if the wicket was not conducive to bowlers, his focus was on restricting the runs. But now, he has understood his own strengths and is bowling accordingly. In every game, he is trying to land the ball in the line of the stumps and get the batter out,” Pujara said via JioStar.

“Earlier, his mindset was a little more defensive, but now he is delivering every ball with the purpose of taking a wicket. So, you think a little more about your game. You use the crease a little better, try to go wider, and adjust your length according to the batter. That mental shift is very important for the game,” the former India batter added.

Meanwhile, India has named four spinners in the squad for Sri Lanka series. Barring Jadeja, Manav Suthar, Kuldeep Yadav and Saransh Jain are the three spinners. Jadeja will lead the spin attack and would look to guide Manav Suthaw and Saransh Jain on the right track.

The first Test match between India and Sri Lanka will be played at Galle from August 15 onwards.