Ravindra Jadeja, an all-rounder for Team India, hit a resolute half-century on Day 5 of the third Test against England at Lord’s Cricket Stadium on Monday, July 14. Nevertheless, the visitors lost the Test by a slim margin of 22 runs, giving away a 2-1 lead in the five-match Test series, despite his obstinate resistance with the willow.
On Day 5, India got off to a terrible start at 58-4. They slumped to 82-7 after losing three more wickets, which made matters worse. For the ninth wicket, Jadeja (61* off 181 balls) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (13 off 53) contributed 30. In addition, he contributed 23 for the final wicket with Mohammed Siraj (4 off 30) and a ninth-wicket partnership of 35 with Jasprit Bumrah (5 off 54).
Jadeja has earned lots of praise over his opposition of the second innings at the Lord which took 266 minutes. But several ex- Indian cricketers were among those who showed disappointment with regard to him that he did not mean business during this sojourn in the middle. Talking to ANI, former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin said:
“India played really well, but if Ravindra Jadeja had played slightly positively, then maybe we would have won the match. We worked very hard, but the result was not very good.”
According to Sanjay Manjrekar, another former Indian batsman, Jadeja needed to take a few chances in order to lead the visitors to victory. As he stated on JioHotstar:
“Ravindra Jadeja was batting well and defending resolutely, but it never looked like he was taking the kind of risks needed to help India win. He was playing a waiting game and hoping against hope.”
Anil Kumble, the legendary spinner for Team India, shared similar opinions. Given that the ball wasn’t turning square, he believed Jadeja ought to have grabbed his chances against the spinners. Speaking after the game, he said:
“The two bowlers he could have potentially taken on were Chris Woakes, who is slightly slower in the air, and then Bashir and Joe Root. I know they’re off-spinners taking the ball away, but it wasn’t turning square… Jadeja has played on tougher pitches and against better bowling. I thought he could have taken a chance.”
Ravichandran Ashwin, Jadeja’s longtime spin bowling partner, praised the all-rounder’s heroic effort on his YouTube channel. Even Ashwin, though, believed the left-hander needed to take some chances. Ashwin said:
“I was messaging a big cricketer throughout the match. I won’t take his name, but both of us were discussing the match. Both of us felt that Jadeja should have probably taken a little more risk, but not a lot. The way he played, hats off! Jaddu showed an entire generation of Gen Bold that you can play with patience…”
RAVINDRA JADEJA IN TESTS IN ENGLAND:
– 969 runs
– 39 Average
– 7 Fifties
– 1 Hundred
– 30 Wickets
Remarkable record for a lower order batter 🫡 One of The Greatest of All Time in History. pic.twitter.com/U4gBnrjd2U
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) July 15, 2025Indian batting great Sunil Gavaskar praised the all-rounder for his tenacity in an interview with Sony Sports. However, he bemoaned the all-rounder’s failure to take chances, particularly when facing spinners Shoaib Bashir and Joe Root.
On Day 5 of the Test match against England, Jadeja knocked defiantly at Lord’s, hitting just four fours and a six. After the tailender made a defensive stroke, the ball bounced back onto the stumps, leaving him stranded as Bashir bowled Siraj in an unfortunate manner.
Ravindra Jadeja joined Vinoo Mankad with half-centuries in both innings at Lord’s
Even though Jadeja could not steer India to victory in the Lord Tests, he had attained a massive milestone in his career by getting his second fifty-plus score at the match. The 36 year old is the second Indian batsman after Vinoo Mankad, to score scores of 50 or above in the two innings of just a Test match at Lord s.
Prior to his not-out 61 in the second innings, the southpaw has donated 72 off 131 balls in the first innings, a score that included eight fours and a six. So far as the legendary Mankad is concerned he took 72 and 184 in the 1952 Lordham Test. His 184 knock stands as a record representing the best ever score registered by an Indian at Lord in Test cricket.
Returning to Jadeja, he has made half-centuries in his last four innings. He scored 89 and 69* in Birmingham prior to the just finished Test at Lord’s. When India plays England in the crucial fourth Test, which starts on July 23 at Old Trafford in Manchester, he will be looking to build on his successful run with the willow.
