Obviously, we miss Ashwin but one day Jadeja will also be gone: Ravindra Jadeja

India’s formidable home dominance in Test cricket, highlighted by an 18-series winning streak over 12 years, was built on the pillars of Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin—an extraordinary run that came to an unexpected end last year with a 0-3 series defeat to New Zealand.

But on Saturday, as Jadeja heralded India’s sheer domination over the West Indies — a thumping victory by an innings and 140 runs in which he contributed with a 104 not out and 4/54 —  he also missed his long-time partner, with whom he enjoyed many such moments in the past.

“Obviously, we miss him. Ash has contributed so much to Indian cricket for so many years. He has been a match-winner,” Jadeja replied with a smile when asked if he missed Ashwin.

The Ahmedabad Test was India’s first at home since the spin great’s retirement.

“Playing a Test in India without Ash, somewhere it feels Ash would bowl now but then the realisation comes that he is not there.”

“Kuldeep (Yadav) and Washy (Washington Sundar), they have played enough games so we cannot term them youngsters but it was a different combination. In future, you will say Jaddu is not there but then someone else would come along and that has to happen. This will go on,” Jadeja said.

Jadeja said India had declaration in mind since stumps on the second day, knowing a lead of 286 runs in the first innings was enough against a struggling West Indies.

“We were thinking about the declaration last night because we thought on this wicket, 280-plus runs would be good enough,” he said.

Jadeja, who was named vice-captain ahead of this Test series, said it was a merely a tag and one that did not bring any change in his game and that India will have a very strong team for all conditions soon.

“Nothing like that. I have been playing the way I have been playing for the past so many years. (There is) nothing special that I need to think like that. But whenever someone asks me, what we can do, what the tactics should be… I always give my inputs so if the team wants something I am always happy to do it,” he said.

“(The) vice-captaincy tags looks on the paper, but as a senior player, if a young player comes and asks me or I go and tell him something, that matters a lot in terms of what he is doing wrong and what his mindset is.”

“We don’t have a culture where a youngster would feel better if I go and tell him, rather than him coming to me. Everyone treats each other equally and there is nothing like senior and junior; I believe respect comes from inside and not by merely displaying it.”

He added, “It’s a good thing for Indian cricket that 4-5 years down the line there will be a very strong team for all conditions.”

Jadeja said he wanted to get into a good bowling rhythm having not played any cricket for the past two months.

“I did not play any cricket in the last two months and I had not bowled much so I was bowling whenever I got the time,” he said.

“I went to the COE, had a few bowling sessions but still I was not satisfied with my bowling. I wanted to bowl more. In practice I was bowling regularly to find my rhythm back and also line and lengths for the game,” Jadeja added.

But the senior all-rounder admitted making changes in mindset and skills have helped him have a dominating run with the bat, having struck seven scores in excess of 50 in India’s last six Tests.

“It feels good to be contributing to the team and as far as my batting is concerned, I have worked on it mentally as well as skill-wise. I have changed my mindset a bit, I used to play with a different mindset in the past but I have made a few changes,” he said.

Jadeja said while injuries can happen to anyone at any point, he keeps working on his fitness and he certainly doesn’t like to make any noise about it.

“Luckily, God has been kind that I didn’t have many injuries and I have worked on my fitness,” he said.

“I also don’t post much on social media in terms of what all I do, but I do. All that is making a difference for me in the ground. It feels good that I am giving my 100 per cent and I don’t think I feel my fitness levels are coming down,” Jadeja said.