"Jadeja should have taken a little more risk" - Legendary spinner's stunning statement after ENG vs IND 2025 3rd Test

Legendary spinner R Ashwin reserved high praise for Team India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja's fighting 61*-run knock off 181 balls on Day 5 of the Lord's Test against England. He, however, opined that there were a couple of moments where the southpaw could have looked to take a little more risk.

Jadeja's heroic effort went in vain as India suffered a heartbreaking 22-run defeat. He was the lone warrior for the visitors amid a batting collapse, stitching crucial partnerships with the tailenders and giving his side some hope.

Ashwin pointed out that with his grit, Jadeja showed the new generation of players how to play with composure under pressure. Apart from lauding the determination, he also reckoned that the batter could have afforded to take a few risks at times during his marathon knock.

Assessing the veteran cricketer's batting exploits, the former Team India spinner said in his latest YouTube video (from 18:35):

"I was messaging a big cricketer throughout the match. I won't take his name, but both of us were discussing the match. Both of us felt that Jadeja should have probably taken a little more risk, but not a lot. The way he played, hats off! Jaddu showed an entire generation of Gen Bold that you can play with patience and skin the Test game."

Jadeja formed a 23-run partnership with Mohammed Siraj for the last wicket. Ashwin suggested that the 36-year-old could have perhaps given Siraj the freedom to play some big shots against off-spinner Shoaib Bashir.

"He could have picked one moment with Siraj and asked him to go after Bashir because Siraj can hit a clean ball. He can hit a spinner to the leg side with the slope," Ashwin remarked (from 17:57).

Jadeja has done a commendable job with the bat so far in the five-match series. He has hit four back-to-back fifties and amassed 327 runs from six innings.

Meanwhile, England claimed a 2-1 lead in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy with their thrilling win at Lord's. Skipper Ben Stokes was adjudged the Player of the Match for bagging five wickets across two innings and registering scores of 44 and 33.

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"I never had the feeling that I could turn it off" - R Ashwin on riveting Day 5 of ENG vs IND 2025 3rd Test

R Ashwin stated that he thoroughly enjoyed Day 5 of the Lord's Test, and he was completely glued to the television screen. He revealed that he was watching the match in his car too when he went to pick up his kids from school.

Speaking in the same video, he said (from 1:09):

"I went to pick up my kids from school and was watching the match from the car. I never had the feeling that I could turn it off. It was such a great match. There was defence after defence, with just one run scored in every over, and there was applause for every defence when Bumrah and Siraj were batting."

Noting that the enthralling encounter was a great advertisement for Test cricket, Ashwin added (from 0:36):

"This is a huge victory for Test cricket. There were around 70 overs today, we were on the verge of getting the second new ball, and around 110 runs came, but nobody even turned off the television even once.""

The fourth Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy between England and India will be played at Old Trafford, Manchester, from July 23 to 27.