Former India captain and head coach Ravi Shastri has hailed Ravindra Jadeja as the world’s best all-rounder, surpassing England Test captain Ben Stokes across all formats. Shastri commended Jadeja for his exceptional skills in all facets of the game, particularly his outstanding fielding that keeps batsmen on their toes.

Shastri’s praise came on the back of Jadeja’s crucial performance in the ongoing ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia at the Oval in London. Jadeja played vital innings of 48 runs with the bat and made a significant impact in the match by dismissing key Australian batsmen in both innings, including first-innings centurions Travis Head, Steve Smith, and Cameron Green.

Speaking to Star Sports ahead of Day 4, Shastri expressed his admiration for Jadeja’s current form and stated, “He [Ravindra Jadeja] is now at the peak of his career. Best all-rounder in the world right now. Ben Stokes is not bowling much. If you look at the best around the world, this is the guy at the moment. You can see that he also delivered with the bat.”

Shastri also highlighted Jadeja’s effectiveness against left-handed batsmen and suggested that left-arm spinners can be equally potent against right-handed batsmen. He emphasized the importance of using Jadeja’s skills strategically, saying, “He is very important against the left-handers today. I think he should be used against right-handers and over the wicket as well.”

Adding to the appreciation for Jadeja, former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh recommended using the left-arm spinner as an attacking option to target the remaining Australian batsmen. Singh believes that Jadeja’s wicket-taking abilities can play a crucial role in dismissing the opposition.

Jadeja’s impressive all-round performance and impact in the WTC final have earned him accolades from former cricketing greats like Ravi Shastri and Harbhajan Singh, highlighting his status as one of the premier all-rounders in world cricket today.