Manchester, Jul 11 (IANS): A lot has been spoken about Ravindra Jadeja and pundit Sanjay Manjrekars comment that he is a ‘bits and pieces cricketer.

But skipper Virat Kohli stood up and took the all-rounder's side and said that Jadeja was one of the most understated cricketers and that he once again showed what he was capable off when he brought the team back from the jaws of defeat to an almost improbable victory in the semifinal against New Zealand at the Old Trafford on Wednesday.

"I don't think any of us had to say anything to Jadeja after what happened over the last one week. He was quite ready to just get on to the park, to be honest. And you saw the passion with which he played and we have seen it in Test cricket a few times, he's played knocks under tremendous pressure and he's got three triple hundreds in first class cricket if I'm not wrong. So obviously the talent has always been there.

"Watching and playing with Jadeja for 10 years, this is probably his best knock according to me because of the kind of pressure we were in, almost out of the game, and then he produces that knock. He was very motivated," Kohli said after the match.

"Yes, at that stage we all felt like the game can be closed out, it can be done. But then again, he played so well and a mistake can happen at any stage -- I don't think it was even a mistake, it was lack of execution. In one-day cricket, you have to take a risk here and there.

"I'm really happy for him because he's been a very understated but top quality cricketer for India in the field, with the ball, with the bat. He's had a great game today," he explained.

With his knock of 77, Jadeja became the batsman with the highest score in the second innings of a World Cup batting at number 8. But sadly, it wasn't enough to take India home.