Ravindra Jadeja nominated for ICC Player of the Month Award

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Star India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has been nominated for the ICC Player of the Month Award for February 2023 after his sensational comeback to international cricket after a break of almost five months. He faces competition from England batter Harry Brook and West Indies left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie.

Jadeja won the Player of the Match award in the first two Tests of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy. In his comeback match and the series-opener in Nagpur, the left-arm spinner ran through Australia’s middle-order in the first innings. The 34-year-old picked up superb figures of 5/47 as the visitors were floored for 177. Later, the southpaw chipped in with 70 runs and forged crucial partnerships with Rohit Sharma and Axar Patel to ensure that his team got a substantial lead. In the second innings, he picked two wickets for 34 as Australia lost by an innings and 132 runs.

In the second Test in Delhi, the Saurashtra star picked three wickets and scored 26 runs in the first innings. In the second innings he ran through Australia again as he picked seven wickets for 42 runs - his best Test bowling figures in an innings. India chased down the 115-run target with six wickets remaining.

Jadeja faces competition from Brook and Motie

Brook has been nominated for the prestigious award for hitting two half-centuries in both innings of the first Test against New Zealand at Mount Maunganui. Coming in at number five in the first innings, Brook smashed 15 fours and a six during his blistering 89 from 81 deliveries.

In the second innings, Brook got a rapid 54 from 41, hitting seven fours and two sixes during his knock. He was awarded the Player of the Match award for his efforts in a thumping England win.

Things still got better at a personal level for Brook in the second Test at Wellington. After England were reduced to 21/3 in the first innings, the Yorkshire batter smashed a career-best 186 from 176 balls, which saw him hit 24 fours and five sixes. His stand of 302 runs with Joe Root put England in complete command of the match. In the match, he also picked his maiden Test wicket in the form of ace New Zealand batter Kane Williamson.

ICC Player of the Month Award: Motie magic in Zimbabwe

West Indies' Motie picked 19 wickets in the two-Test series in Zimbabwe to help his side secure a 1-0 series win. In the first Test at Bulawayo, the left-arm spinner leaked as many as 110 runs for just two wickets. However, he bounced back in style in the second innings by picking 4/50 from his 24 overs as Zimbabwe had to fight out to earn a draw.

In the second Test at the same venue, Motie was at the top of his game. Zimbabwe batters had no answer to his turn and guile, as the Guyana star picked 13 wickets for 19 runs in an innings victory for West Indies. The 27-year-olds performance won him both Player of the Match and Player of the Series awards.