India thrashed Sri Lanka in the first Test of the two-match series by an innings and 222 runs. The wrecker-in-chief for this demolition of Sri Lanka in the match was Ravindra Jadeja. The southpaw first combined with Rishabh Pant to pull India out of trouble in the last session of Day 1 with a 104-run partnership, and then along with his spin partner, R Ashwin, forged a 130-run stand that took the game from Sri Lanka’s hands right on Day 2. Piling the miseries on the Lankan bowlers, Jadeja demoralized the opposition camp with a 94-ball 9th wicket partnership with Mohammed Shami that saw the duo add 103 runs.
When India finally declared at 574-8, a move pushed by Jadeja himself, he had scored the highest score by an Indian batting at number seven or below. If his score of 175 not out wasn’t enough, Jadeja sucked the life out of the Lankan batting by picking up figures of 9/87, ending the match within three days.
Jadeja, who is a world-class bowler, has enough accolades as a bowler and won several matches for India, especially Tests, with his left-arm orthodox bowling. But it is his batting, an aspect of his game that has grown leaps and bounds, that is at the centre of this piece.
Since 2016, Jadeja has had the third-highest batting average for India in Tests (minimum 500 runs). His average of 44.11 is only behind Rohit Sharma’s 55.89 and Virat Kohli’s 55.08. Before 2016, Jadeja only had a solitary fifty in Tests. Since then, he has added 18 50+ scores to his tally, including two centuries. Only three players have scored more 50+ scores than him, and Jadeja’s rate of scoring a fifty every 3.39 innings is the fourth-best for India in this period. Since 2018, his figures are even better, as Jadeja’s batting average of 47.76 is the second-highest for any Indian batter in Tests, with only Rohit Sharma ahead of him, averaging 50.75 (minimum 300 runs).
Since the start of 2018, Jadeja has scored 11 50+ scores, including his two centuries. Four players have scored more 50+ scores than him in this period, but his rate of scoring a fifty every three innings is better than anyone in the Indian team.
One of the major reasons for the improved performances of Jadeja with the bat is his batting order in the team. Before 2018, Jadeja batted only 38.46% of his innings at number seven or higher, with the highest being one inning at number five. Since 2018, Jadeja has batted at number seven or higher in 66.67% of his innings, including once at number four.
Sanjay Bangar, who was the Indian team’s batting coach for five years from 2014, attributed Jadeja’s improved batting to his mindset. Speaking to the host broadcaster after Jadeja’s unbeaten inning of 175, Bangar said that earlier, Jadeja didn’t consider himself as a proper batter as he was batting at number eight or nine. But since the time the team management started showing faith in his batting abilities by promoting him, Jadeja has been looking at himself and his batting with a mindset of a batter who has responsibility on his shoulders.
This reflects in Jadeja’s numbers as well. Since 2016, 28 batters have batted at number 6-7 in Test cricket (minimum 20 innings). Of these 28 batters, Jadeja has the highest batting average of 58.12 in 25 innings, scoring seven fifties and two centuries. No one else averages even 50, with Quinton de Kock having the second-highest average of 42.65 batting at number 6-7.
Jadeja’s batting ability was never in question. Jadeja is the only batter in the history of Indian cricket to score three triple centuries. Eight of his 11 FC centuries have been 150+ run innings. Jadeja has the technique to score runs against all bowling types and conditions, scoring at least a fifty in all countries (except New Zealand) where he has played at least two Tests.
Entering the Indian team primarily due to his excellent bowling in the Indian domestic circuit, Jadeja, despite his proven batting record at the same domestic level, found himself batting lower down the order as a bowler who could bat. But since he has been trusted with additional responsibilities of batting at seven or even at six, he has repaid the team’s faith by consistently chipping in with crucial runs.
Add his bowling and electric fielding to the mix, India have a once-in-a-generation player at their disposal who seems to be getting into his peak form. Jadeja has played a vital role in India dominating the Test format, and the team and fans will hope Jadeja stays fit and contributes for a few more years to come.