The ICC Champions Trophy Final will be underway in less than 24 hours. For the last showdown, many think that Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma will hold the key to victory, not just for India but also for New Zealand. However, recently retired spinner Ravichandran Ashwin feels that the Kane Williamson vs. Ravindra Jadeja matchup could decide the game’s outcome.
Williamson vs Jadeja: Key battle in Champions Trophy Final
“If you are a cricket connoisseur, then Kane Williamson vs. Ravindra Jadeja is the most fascinating battle. While facing Jadeja, Kane Williamson moves towards the leg stump because he knows Jaddu is troubling him. Sometimes he steps out and plays the chip shot over the bowler or extra cover. He even tries to play the cut shot on the back foot. It’s a cat-and-mouse situation. Kane Williamson wants to get on top of Jadeja. On the other hand, Jaddu too varies his length and speed,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
Although Jadeja hasn’t gotten Williamson out much, he has managed to keep a lid on his scoring rate. The veteran batter played a major role in the semifinal against South Africa and for nearly a decade has been the engine of the New Zealand batting machine. That’s why Ashwin believes that Jadeja vs. Williamson could decide the result of the ICC Champions Trophy Final.
“This contest can decide the outcome of the game. Williamson batted well against Varun and Kuldeep; yes, Axar got him out, but it was Jadeja who troubled him the most. Jaddu is quicker than a usual left-arm spinner. It is difficult to play the cut shot against Jaddu and literally impossible to sweep him. Yes, you can play the slog sweep, but you can’t play the traditional sweep against Jadeja,” he added.
Kane Williamson vs Ravindra Jadeja ODI matchup
| Span | Runs | Balls | Out | Dots | Average | Strike Rate | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-2025 | 159 | 207 | 2 | 107 | 79.50 | 76.8 | 16 | 0 |
Ashwin explained at length how things will transpire with Jadeja keeping things tight, keeping the balls within the stumps, while Williamson would create room by stepping to his left and looking to chop the ball over covers. He did so in the group stage match and would look to do it again on March 9.
“Jaddu’s advantage over Kane Williamson is that he never bowls slow against Kane Williamson, and he also gets turn. It is because of his lovely release, high release point, and the revolution he puts on the ball. But Kane is a clever guy. That’s why he shows all his stumps, asks Jaddu to bowl into the stumps, and plays those chip shots over the covers. In the last game, he did the same against Jadeja,” Ashwin added.
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