With the retirement of Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja has become India’s frontline spinner in Tests. But is it really the way to go about it?
India head coach Gautam Gambhir has been asked a serious question from the Australian shores and told to make bold calls if he wants his team to save the series after losing the opener to England by five wickets. Jadeja, once a lethal bowling pair alongside Ashwin, is 36, and against all expectations, proved ineffective in the Headingley Test. Conditions in England are such that playing two spinners is as rare as India winning a Test series there. So if the opportunity provides, why not prioritise a better spinner, a specialised spinner?
It’s been a quiet few months for Jadjea. He has yet to cross 30 in his last six innings and has returned wicketless five times in his previous 12. Since the start of the New Zealand series last October, Jadeja averages 35 with the ball and 23 with the bat. Concerning. Which is why former Australia wicketkeeper batter Brad Haddin makes some valid points about Jadeja, wondering if the India all-rounder is slipping down. There was a time when Jadeja was undroppable – heck, after 2017, his batting peaked, and he even scored a century during the 2022 Birmingham Test, albeit India lost. But when on the final day, Jadeja picked just one wicket, unable to make the most of the rough outside off-stump to the left-hander, Haddin feels that leaving him out for Kuldeep Yadav is a move India should be willing to make.
“Are we seeing the decline of Ravindra Jadeja? I mean yes, he is effective in Indian conditions and how hard it is to play left-arm spin in India but I don’t think he is the best option to have in the team spin wise. I would look at Kuldeep. Someone who is an attacking spinner, who can get wickets. You’ve got a couple of hold-in bowlers. Siraj can play that role, but I think they need to be a bit more bold in their selection of bowlers,” Haddin said on the LiSTNR Sport podcast.
Why Nitish Reddy’s inclusion can lead to India dropping Ravindra Jadeja?
Besides, Jadeja, India have a few decisions to make before the second start kicks off on July 2. If Bumrah, according to a report, is rested, who should replace him? What about Shardul Thakur? Will he still be persisted with? The questions become all the more intriguing given the fact that more than capable guys are waiting in the wings, such as Arshdeep Singh, Akash Deep, Nitish Reddy and Kuldeep. Shardul’s lackluster outing – yes, he picked up two wickets, but it didn’t make much of a difference – should pave the way for Reddy, which in turn, could lead to Jadeja’s ouster for Kuldeep.
“If Reddy plays, then you don’t have to play Jadeja and bring the attacking spin option. I think that’s one thing they’ve got to look at, especially away from home. I don’t think Jadeja can be effective. Yes, he is good all-rounder and he could play as a second spinner – hold at the other end. But I think they need to be more attacking, be willing to lose a Test match with some inexperienced bowlers but change their mindset at the way they go about it,” added Haddin.