Leg and Off: Did Ravindra Jadeja bat too defensively with the tail in ENG vs IND 2025 3rd Test?

India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja played a fighting knock in the third Test of the five-match series against England at Lord's. The visitors were chasing 193 for a win in the final innings, and began the fifth day on 58-4, needing 135 more runs.

Jadeja walked out to bat after the fall of the fifth wicket, and displayed grit and determination despite the consistent fall of wickets at the other end. He scored an unbeaten 61 off 181 balls, giving India hope. The all-rounder was also involved in vital partnerships with Nitish Kumar Reddy, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Siraj.

Despite the resistance, India fell short of the target, getting bowled out for 170 as England won the Test by 22 runs. Ravindra Jadeja received praise for his fourth consecutive half-century on the tour. However, his approach in the chase has been questioned. Did Jadeja bat too defensively with the tail?

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Game Situation

India were reduced to 82-7 after losing quick wickets in the morning session on the fifth day, and were in a dire state. All England needed was three good deliveries to wrap up the game. Ravindra Jadeja, showing resistance, stood between victory and the hosts for a long time. Notably, this was his slowest Test fifty.

However, the plan may have been to tire the bowlers out and take the game deep. It can be argued that Jadeja should have played a few more shots and looked for boundaries. That said, it must be noted that England had a lot of boundary riders, making shot-making harder for Jadeja.

The plan was clear as the left-hander faced most deliveries while batting with the tail. He kept the majority of the strike with himself and rightfully so.

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Ravindra Jadeja had to bat with Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj

A key aspect to note is that Ravindra Jadeja had to bat with Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj. The two pacers were his support at the other end for the final two wickets. Batting with tailenders is never easy, particularly in a tense run chase.

Bumrah and Siraj are not known for their batting, but they did provide Jadeja with able support nonetheless. Bumrah played 54 balls for his five runs, while Siraj played out 30 deliveries.

With the two pacers showing resistance, the strike-rotation could have been better. There were multiple single-run overs. Had these overs produced at least two to three runs each, the pressure could have been put back on England. However, Jadeja had to stay out there, calculate and hog the strike.

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What was the best option at the time, then?

Despite Bumrah and Siraj batting the way they did, just two good balls could have ended the game. Keeping that in mind, Ravindra Jadeja found the best option to stretch the game. India had plenty of overs in hand, with the required rate never an issue.

Therefore, rather than looking to take risks and attack the bowlers, Jadeja chose to let the game run as it was. Had he gotten himself out, the margin of defeat would have been a lot more.

It was probably not the time to go aggressive and look to counterpunch. His experience and mental strength were on display, as he took it upon himself to see the visitors through.

While it may be argued that Jadeja could have attacked a bit more, he stuck to the strategy of taking the game deep. A little support from the top and middle order batters could also have made the difference.