Ravindra Jadeja, India’s star all-rounder, showed visible frustration after being struck by Mohammed Siraj’s wild throw during Day 2 of the third Test in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) against Australia. The incident occurred when Siraj, stationed at point, aimed a throw at the non-striker’s end but inadvertently hit Jadeja’s hand. The mishap led to a brief exchange of words between the two players, reflecting Jadeja’s frustration.
Jadeja, who was left out of India’s playing XI for the first two matches, was brought in as a replacement for Ravichandran Ashwin after India’s loss in Adelaide. Before this, Washington Sundar was preferred in the series opener but was subsequently dropped for the second Test.
Ravindra Jadeja’s return was anticipated to strengthen the team, but his performance with the ball in Brisbane has been underwhelming so far. In nine overs, the left-arm spinner went wicketless, conceding 35 runs at an economy of 3.9—India’s most expensive bowler in the innings.
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India’s bowling attack leaned heavily on Jasprit Bumrah, who delivered crucial early breakthroughs by dismissing Usman Khawaja and Nathan McSweeney. However, support from the other bowlers was lacking. Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep failed to pick up wickets in the first two sessions, while Nitish Kumar Reddy dismissed Marnus Labuschagne for 12 runs off 55 deliveries.
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Commenting on India’s selection strategy, former cricketer Aakash Chopra highlighted the rotation of spinners throughout the series. In his YouTube analysis, Chopra humorously speculated that Kuldeep Yadav might have been included in the fourth Test had he been part of the squad. He noted, “The team seems to be shuffling spinners every game. Jadeja’s inclusion over Ashwin for this Test feels like part of that pattern.”
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The bowling inconsistency and frequent lineup changes have raised questions about India’s overall approach in the series. With Australia building momentum, the team will hope for a turnaround in the coming days. As for Jadeja, the incident with Siraj and his subdued performance might serve as motivation to step up in the match’s critical phases.
