Shubman Gill’s recent tour of England will go down as a defining chapter in his young career. The Indian skipper, leading the Test side for the first time in the absence of senior stalwarts like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, produced an astonishing 754 runs in just 10 innings. His four centuries, coupled with a string of commanding performances, saw him rewrite records almost every other day. It was the kind of purple patch most batters dream of but rarely experience.
Yet, in the eyes of former India cricketer Ajay Jadeja, there was one man who outshone even Gill in terms of consistency — Ravindra Jadeja. The all-rounder amassed 516 runs at a remarkable average of 86, notching up five half-centuries and a century across the series. More impressively, he remained unbeaten on four occasions, a testament to his reliability in crises.
“Do I even need to say anything? The man has shown you what he can do,” Ajay Jadeja said on Sony Sports. “Shubman scored 754 runs and you’d think no one came close, but Jadeja nearly touched 550 runs and was more consistent.”
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Jadeja’s contributions weren’t just about numbers; they were about timing and impact. In the second Test at Edgbaston, which India won, he crafted twin fifties. His gritty 107 at Old Trafford in the fourth Test was pivotal in salvaging a draw. At Lord’s, despite the team falling short, he posted twin fifties again, showing remarkable resilience. His final fifty at The Oval set the tone for India’s series-clinching victory.
Ajay pointed out that in four innings, Jadeja remained unbeaten because the batting collapsed at the other end, and in only two innings did he fall cheaply. From the fighting partnership with Mohammed Siraj at Lord’s to the match-saving efforts in Manchester, Jadeja’s batting became a thread holding the team together.
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While the conditions in England meant Jadeja couldn’t dominate with the ball — and other spinners had more success — his bat spoke volumes. If this does prove to be his final Test tour of England, he has signed off in a manner befitting one of India’s most invaluable modern-day cricketers.
