Coming in at number seven with India in deep trouble at 71 for 5, Jadeja crafted a gritty unbeaten 61, guiding the tail through a tense final session. From 112 for 8 at lunch, India mounted a spirited fightback, eventually falling short of the 193-run target and being bowled out for 170 after tea on the last day of the third Test
Ravindra Jadeja (Photo: BCCI)
No praise was enough for Ravindra Jadeja, who took India close to an unlikely Test win at Lord’s on Monday. However, former greats lamented that his reluctance to take greater risks with the bat might have cost India the match.
Coming in at number seven with India in deep trouble at 71 for 5, Jadeja crafted a gritty unbeaten 61, guiding the tail through a tense final session. From 112 for 8 at lunch, India mounted a spirited fightback, eventually falling short of the 193-run target and being bowled out for 170 after tea on the last day of the third Test against England.
Jadeja, who watched the top order collapse around him, opted for a cautious approach. He shielded tailenders Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj from England’s relentless pace by farming the strike, settling largely for singles and curbing his natural attacking instincts. Despite his determined resistance over four hours, the lack of support from the lower order left him stranded and India agonisingly short of a famous win.
Former batting great Sunil Gavaskar said on Sony Sports that scoring quicker and putting pressure back on England's bowlers might have resulted in "a partnership of 60-70 would have made a difference".
"India never got that (partnership)," he said. "You could say that Jadeja could have taken the odd chance and not necessarily the aerial route when Joe Root and Shoaib Bashir were bowling. But full marks to him (Jadeja)."
Jadeja hit just four fours and one six in his 181-ball stay before Bashir bowled number 11 Siraj to trigger jubilant England celebrations. "I'd like to look a little deeper into that whole innings," former batsman Sanjay Manjrekar said on ESPNcricinfo. "There was one attempt at playing a shot that went for six. But I don't think there were too many attempted attacking shots. "For me, one telling moment was when he got to his fifty and India were still a few runs short. You saw the reaction of the dressing room there were people applauding but I don't think there was excitement around and belief that Jadeja would take them through."
India's greatest batsman Sachin Tendulkar lamented: "So near, yet so far. Jadeja, Bumrah, & Siraj fought all the way till the end," he posted on X. "Well tried, Team India. England played well to keep the pressure on and produced the result they desired. Congratulations on a hard-fought win."
England lead the series 2-1 with two to play. The fourth Test starts at Manchester's Old Trafford on July 23.
(With AFP inputs)
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