Former cricketer Aakash Chopra has lauded Ravindra Jadeja for proving him wrong with his excellent performances with the ball in the ongoing ODI series in England’s tour of India 2025.
The cricketer-turned-commentator has admitted that the Saurashtra player had fallen to the bottom in the pecking order of India’s spin bowl all-rounders.
Jadeja secured a 3/35 figure in 10 overs with India bundled England out for 304 runs in the second ODI of the match.
He remained unbeaten with 11 runs in the chase as the hosts registered a four-wicket win to seal the series 2-0 before the final game in Ahmedabad.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, the former India opener admitted that he reckoned Jadeja’s stock had falled and that he might not get a place in the Men in Blue’s playing 11.
“I have to admit that I am guilty as charged. It seemed like his numbers and stature were going down in white-ball cricket.”
“The stocks had gone down and it seemed like the Indian team might not play him at all. There was a possibility that he could be rested,” he said.
Aakash Chopra has added that Axar Patel supposedly become India’s first choice spin-bowling all-rounder, with head coach Gautam Gambhir’s promotion of Washington Sundar presumable leaving Jadeja at the last spot among the trio.
“They could have said that they had kept his name at the 15th spot in any case, and Axar Patel is their primary all-rounder as he also bats up the order.”
“After that, since Gautam has become the coach, he has promoted Washington Sundar a lot and he likes him. Sundar performed as well and Jadeja was left at the bottom,” he observed.
India have fielded Jadeja and Axar Patel in the first two ODIs against England. Washington Sundar hasn’t been fielded in the Xl, with Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy playing as the specialist spinners in the first and second games, respectively.
In the same video, Aakash Chopra mentioned that Jadeja has made the most of the slighty spin-friendly pitches in the first two ODIs against England.
“In this team as well, Jadeja is being played as a bowler and not as a batter. He has been kept at No. 7 or No. 8 only.”
“However, he is bowling well. He is bowling at the right spots. If there is even slight help from the pitch, which was the case in Nagpur and Cuttack, he did the job very well in both places,” he said.
The Analyst added that the veteran all-rounder also showcased his death-bowling skills in the two games.
“He has been economical and has been a wicket-taker. He has also been given a new role. From one angle, it seems like a good thing as he is being bowled till the 45th or 46th over and it’s great he has been able to do that.”
“However, if he is required to do that, it doesn’t speak highly of our fast-bowling resources,” Chopra observed.
India secured a 2-0 series win in the ODI series after a four wicket win with a match to spare. The third match of the ODI series will be played on February 12 at Narendra Modi Stadium.
