In the build-up to the Test, there was plenty of talk about the pitch with Australian media even terming it as doctored. A total of 11 wickets fell on the opening day of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy but the track wasn’t a dustbowl and the bowlers had to strive hard for the rewards.

“This wasn’t a rank turner. Compared to other pitches, it was slow and had low bounce. I felt defending wasn’t very difficult today (Thursday) but as the game progresses, it (defending) will become increasingly difficult. But that’s the nature of Test cricket,” Ravindra Jadeja said at the end of day’s play.

Jadeja took 5 for 47 on his international comeback, including the prized scalps of Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith. “I used the crease as not every delivery was turning. And, as I said, the bounce was low, so trying (I tried) to create doubts in the minds of the batters,” he explained.

“I was going wide off the crease and coming close to the stumps and some deliveries if they stepped out and it turned, there would always be a chance.

“Luckily, he (Labuschagne) stepped out (and) that one (delivery) turned after pitching. And for Smith, the ball went straight from that same spot from where I delivered the earlier (Marnus) delivery,” the left-arm spinner said.

The idea was to keep the Aussies guessing about which delivery would turn and which one would come straight with the angle, and it worked to perfection for the wily spinner. “Yes, there was natural variation from the wicket, but I tried to mix up the angles, so that there was doubt in the batter’s mind,” he said.

“I loved the rhythm with which I bowled and the ball came out of my hand quite well, line and length was also accurate, since there is no bounce off the track.

“I preferred bowling stump to stump. On a low-bounce track, there are more chances of leg before and bowled, and luckily, I got a few leg-before and bowled, so that makes me happy,” he said.

Jadeja said he went through a tough phase following his injury in last September. “It was (a) difficult (phase)as I have missed a lot of cricket in the last five months, missed important tournaments (Asia Cup and World T20). Rehabs are tough for players and even tougher is to keep the level of performance post rehab. There’s always doubt whether post injury your performance will remain the same.”

Written with inputs from PTI