5 times Ravindra Jadeja showed defiance while batting with the tail ft. ENG vs IND 2025 3rd Test

Ravindra Jadeja stood tall with an unbeaten 61 in the third Test between England and India in the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at Lord's on Monday, July 15, even though the visitors failed to chase a modest target of 193.

England, who won the Test by 22 runs and have now taken a 2-1 lead in the series, targeted Jadeja, but all they got in response was a firm slap on their wrists even under such immense pressure.

Jadeja marshalled tail-enders Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj well (the pace duo played over a combined 80 deliveries), but their resistance was eventually broken. The 36-year-old was left rueing a lack of support from India's other senior batters.

In this piece, we take a look at five occasions in which Jadeja showed immense maturity while batting with the tail:

#5 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, 2013

One of the first instances in which Jadeja showcased maturity while batting with the tail was against Australia in the 2013-14 Border-Gavaskar Trophy at home. In the fourth Test of the series at the Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi, Jadeja scored 43 runs while marshalling the other lower-order Indian batters.

India, who batted second after Australia had put 262 on the board, were helped by Jadeja's knock, who, along with Ravichandran Ashwin and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, built fine partnerships. This was crucial in India taking a 10-run lead, which they exploited fully to eventually win the Test by six wickets in the fourth innings.

#4 Sri Lanka vs India, 2017

Jadeja showcased his mettle against Sri Lanka in the second Test of the two-match series between the two teams at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo in August 2017. Batting first after winning the toss, India declared at a gigantic 622-9 in their first innings, with Jadeja remaining unbeaten on 70.

He shepherded the likes of Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav when he was at the crease, and eventually ran out of steam when Shami got out and captain Virat Kohli declared. Sri Lanka were then bowled out for 183 and 386, with Jadeja scalping 5-152 in the second innings, earning the award for the player of the match.

#3 India vs New Zealand, 2016

Jadeja put up a fine all-round showing against New Zealand in the first Test of a three-match series in 2016 at the Green Park Stadium in Kanpur. In the first innings, he struck an unbeaten 42 while batting with the tail, his innings eventually ending when number 11 Umesh Yadav got out caught behind.

Jadeja returned to pick up 5-73 and dismantle the Kiwi batting order, and then scored a 50 not out in India's second innings to help shore their total up. The Kiwis put up a fair fight in their second dig, but were eventually bowled out for 236, handing India a massive victory by 197 runs. Jadeja was the player of the match.

#2 Pataudi Trophy, 2014

Ravindra Jadeja of India bats during day four of 2nd Investec Test match between England and India at Lord's Cricket Ground on July 20, 2014, in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

In the second Test of the 2014 Pataudi Trophy between England and India at Lord's, Jadeja brought out his class with the bat and scored 68 off just 57 deliveries to help shore up the Indian score. Earlier, India had scored 295 in the first innings, to which England responded with 319.

In the third innings of the match, Jadeja, alongside Bhuvneshwar Kumar (52), strung together a crucial partnership of 99 runs, marshalling the Indian lower order to a total of 342. This paved the way for one of India's most famous Test wins in England as they dismissed their hosts for 223, winning the match by 95 runs.

#1 Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, 2025

One of Jadeja's finest, if not the finest, knocks while batting with the tail came against England in the third Test of the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at Lord's on Monday, July 14. Set a measly 193 runs to chase and win the Test in the fourth innings, India eventually floundered to get all out for 170.

Jadeja remained in the thick of things in the fourth innings of the game, staying unbeaten on 61 off 181 deliveries, even as Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj were sent back to the pavilion.