‘Sir Jadeja’ as they call him came up with an innings of a lifetime. Ravindra Jadeja’s batting has exponentially got better with his experience but at the heart of Lord’s Cricket Ground, he almost pulled off a heist. He may not have taken India across the finish line, but his unbeaten 61 off 181 balls in the fourth innings of the third Test against England was a throwback to old-school resilience in modern-day aggressive times.
India, chasing 193, collapsed like a pack of cards. At 82/7, with nothing but the tail for company and still 111 runs to get, Jadeja stood firm as wickets kept tumbling at the other end. It wasn’t the sword-wielding fifty fans are used to. Jadeja, in survival mode, carrying India’s faint hopes on his shoulders.
Jadeja’s lone battle at the Lord’s
Jadeja came in at a precarious 71/5 and soon saw KL Rahul and Washington Sundar depart in quick succession. India were gasping at 82/7. From that point on, it was a Test of resolve. Partnering with Jasprit Bumrah, Jadeja added 35 crucial runs. The England bowlers, sensing victory, threw everything they had. Jadeja absorbed it all.
When Bumrah finally fell after facing 54 balls, a valiant effort in itself, Jadeja turned to Siraj, and somehow stitched another 36-run stand. The odds were still against India, but Jadeja kept narrowing the margin with each single, each forward defence. Tea came with India needing just 30 more runs.
Then came the moment that crushed Indian hopes. In the 75th over, Siraj defended a rising delivery from Shoaib Bashir, but the ball bounced, fell behind him, and heartbreakingly rolled onto the stumps. Silence. England erupted. Jadeja looked up expressionless, drained, unbeaten on 61. He had batted 30.1 overs alone.
“Incredible fight”: Gambhir, coaches in awe of Jadeja’s resolve
Despite the result, Jadeja’s knock won the dressing room. Head coach Gautam Gambhir led the praise in a BCCI video titled “The MVP ft. Ravindra Jadeja”, saying, “That was an incredible fight. The fight from Jaddu was absolutely brilliant.”
Batting coach Sitanshu Kotak, who has seen Jadeja grow from his Saurashtra days, pointed out his composure under pressure. “He always comes up with something in challenging conditions. Really valuable to the team.”
Even Siraj, whose run-out ended the game, couldn’t stop praising Jadeja. “It’s very difficult to get a player like him. We’re lucky.”
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