I can only control the controllables: Jadeja

After the pacers had all the fun in the Kolkata Test, the expectations were that it would be more of the same in Nagpur with another grassy pitch on offer.

The Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium pitch, however, bucked the trend with seven wickets being shared by India's spinners, who barely bowled at Eden Gardens. R Ashwin took 4 for 67 in 28.1 overs while Ravindra Jadeja picked up 3 for 56 in 21 overs to bowl Sri Lanka out for 205 before India ended the opening day at 11 for 1.

It was an excellent performance by the two considering that the surface in Nagpur only took turn later on in the day, and Jadeja welcomed the development.

“I was very happy how I was bowling today,” said Jadeja on Friday. “I was bowling well as there was no help from the pitch. I was trying to look to bowl in the right areas.”

Jadeja disagreed that the pitch wasn't aiding the quicks, saying, “It seems so because there was too much help for pacers in Kolkata.” India went in with only two pacers – Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav – and though Ishant took 3 for 37, Umesh went wicketless.

“There was a lot of help from the wicket there so you guys must have felt that every ball will yield a wicket, but that was not the case over here because this wicket had grass but not the bounce or swing or the overcast conditions in Kolkata,” explained Jadeja. “That’s why we didn’t have much help compared to Kolkata but the two (Ishant and Umesh) bowled well in the first session. We didn’t give too many runs in the first session, they bowled as per the field set for them.”

With the South Africa tour fast approaching, it will be a tough choice between Jadeja and Ashwin for Virat Kohli and the management to choose for the lone spinner's slot. That is, unless Jadeja's made the captain. “That’s a no-brainer. If I am the captain, I will not even give the ball to anyone. I will keep bowling from one end,” joked Jadeja.

When India last visited South Africa in 2013, Ashwin got the nod in the first Test in Johannesburg, which ended in a draw. He finished wicketless. Jadeja replaced him for the second and final Test in Durban, and took 6 for 138, although that didn't prevent a ten-wicket loss.

“About Durban 2013, the situation was conducive for me, as the wicket was dry,” he recalled. “I was getting help from the areas I was bowling. So my aim would be to try assess conditions and bowl accordingly (this time).”

He suggested that figuring in the XI would largely depend on the opposition's team composition and hence he wasn't dwelling on the topic too much: “It depends on team’s balance, what the team wants. At times on overseas tours, we assess if there are more lefties or right-handers in opposition and accordingly the team’s composition is set.

“I can only control the controllables. What is not in my control, there is no point thinking about it. When I get a chance to play in South Africa, I will try to do well. When I got a chance last time, I played the second Test after Ash played first. That’s why the team’s combination will depend on composition of the opposition – number of lefties or right-handers.”