Ravindra Jadeja's lack of intent questioned despite valiant effort on Day 5 of 3rd ENG vs IND 2025 Test at Lord's

England v India - 3rd Rothesay Test Match: Day Five - Source: Getty
Ravindra Jadeja scored an unbeaten 61 off 181 balls in the second innings of the Lord’s Test. (Image Credits: Getty Images)

Team India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja scored a resolute half-century on Day 5 of the third Test against England at the iconic Lord's Cricket Stadium on Monday, July 14. However, despite his stubborn resistance with the willow, the visitors ended up losing the Test by a narrow margin of 22 runs, thus conceding a 2-1 lead in the five-match Test series.

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India began Day 5 in big trouble at 58-4. Things became worse as they lost three more wickets to slump to 82-7. Jadeja (61* off 181 balls) added 30 for the eighth wicket with Nitish Kumar Reddy (13 off 53). He also featured in a ninth-wicket stand of 35 with Jasprit Bumrah (5 off 54) and added 23 for the last wicket with Mohammed Siraj (4 off 30).

Jadeja has won plenty of plaudits for his resistance in the second innings at Lord's, which lasted 266 minutes. However, a number of prominent former Indian cricketers also expressed disappointment over his lack of intent during this stay in the middle. Speaking to ANI, former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin said:

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"India played really well, but if Ravindra Jadeja had played slightly positively, then maybe we would have won the match. We worked very hard, but the result was not very good."
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Another former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar opined that Jadeja needed to take a couple of risks to take the visitors to victory. Speaking on JioHotstar, he said:

“Ravindra Jadeja was batting well and defending resolutely, but it never looked like he was taking the kind of risks needed to help India win. He was playing a waiting game and hoping against hope."
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Team India spin legend Anil Kumble also expressed similar views. He reckoned that Jadeja should have taken his chances against the spinners, particularly because the ball wasn't turning square. Speaking after the game, he commented:

"The two bowlers he could have potentially taken on were Chris Woakes, who is slightly slower in the air, and then Bashir and Joe Root. I know they're off-spinners taking the ball away, but it wasn't turning square... Jadeja has played on tougher pitches and against better bowling. I thought he could have taken a chance."
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Speaking on his YouTube channel, Jadeja's long-time spin bowling partner Ravichandran Ashwin hailed the all-rounder's valiant effort. However, even Ashwin was of the opinion that the left-hander needed to take some risks. Ashwin stated:

"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..."
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Speaking on Sony Sports, Indian batting legend Sunil Gavaskar hailed the all-rounder for his resilience. He, however, lamented the fact that the all-rounder did not take the odd chance, especially against spinners Joe Root and Shoaib Bashir.

Jadeja struck only four fours and a six in his defiant knock at Lord's on Day 5 of the Test match against England. He was left stranded as Siraj was bowled by Bashir in unlucky fashion as the ball rolled back onto the stumps after the tailender offered a defensive stroke.

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Ravindra Jadeja joined Vinoo Mankad with half-centuries in both innings at Lord's

Although Jadeja failed to take India over the line in the Lord's Test, he achieved a huge personal milestone by notching up his second fifty-plus score in the match. The 36-year-old became only the second Indian after Vinoo Mankad to register fifty-plus scores in both innings of a Test match at Lord's.

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Before his unbeaten 61 in the second innings, the southpaw has contributed 72 off 131 balls in the first innings, a knock which featured eight fours and a six. As for the legendary Mankad, he scored 72 & 184 in the 1952 Lord's Test. His knock for 184 remains a record for the highest score by an Indian at Lord's in Test cricket.

Coming back to Jadeja, he has registered half-centuries in his last four consecutive innings. Before the recently concluded Test at Lord's, he registered scores of 89 & 69* in Birmingham. He will be hoping to continue his great run with the willow when India take on England in the must-win fourth Test, which begins at Old Trafford in Manchester from July 23.

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Edited by Renin Wilben Albert
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