'It's just a matter of one good innings. As you saw, it didn't even feel like he hadn't scored runs in the previous innings.'
The scathing criticism from all quarters wasn't something that perturbed Rohit Sharma's Indian team-mates who knew that their skipper was just a knock away from getting back into his element, senior all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja said in Cuttack on Sunday.
The 37-year-old Indian captain answered his critics in style smashing his 32nd ODI century -- a 90-ball 119 -- to guide India to a four-wicket victory over England, sealing the series with a game to spare.
The innings came at the perfect time, just weeks before the Champions Trophy, reaffirming his importance to the team.
"The entire world may be behind him but in our dressing room, there was no such atmosphere. He is such a great player that he knows exactly how to build an innings," Jadeja said at the post-match media interaction.
The all-rounder added that such phases are normal for great players.
"It's just a matter of one good innings. As you saw, it didn't even feel like he hadn't scored runs in the previous innings. The shots he played were smooth and he looked confident. Just played normal strokes."
Jadeja emphasised that there was never any panic within the squad despite external criticism.
"Sometimes, it just takes one or two innings to turn things around. The good thing is that, before an important tournament like the Champions Trophy, scoring a hundred is a huge boost. It's great for the team, and obviously, he himself knows his game well. There's nothing much to think or discuss."
Asked how was the mood after he got to his triple, Jadeja said: "Obviously, as I just mentioned, before a big tournament, if any batsman scores a hundred, it boosts confidence both for the individual and the team.
"If your top-order batsmen are scoring runs, you will always get a good start. In ODI cricket, if you get a good start in the first 10-15 overs, it sets the platform for the death overs, where you can capitalise."
After opting to bat, England put up a total of 304 in 49.5 overs, with Jadeja (3/35) once again proving instrumental in restricting their charge.
Jadeja credited domestic cricket for helping him maintain his rhythm despite returning to ODIs after nearly two years.
"No, it feels really good, especially after almost two years -- since the World Cup. Coming back into this format requires quick adaptation, but I believe the domestic matches I played helped me a lot.
"In those matches, I bowled over 30 overs, which helped me maintain my rhythm. Even in Tests, I tried to maintain the same line and length in ODIs.
"The rhythm remained intact because the break wasn't too long. So, I think playing domestic games benefitted me in maintaining my rhythm."
Asked about Jasprit Bumrah's recovery, Jadeja sounded clueless but hoped he recovers soon.
"That's something the medical team is handling. Hopefully, he recovers fully soon because it's not just great for our team, but for the entire country," he said.
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