Former Indian cricketer and seasoned commentator Sanjay Manjrekar wasn’t entirely convinced by Ravindra Jadeja’s approach during India’s narrow loss to England in the third Test at Lord’s. While acknowledging Jadeja’s composure and defensive grit, Manjrekar felt that the all-rounder didn’t show enough attacking intent in the fourth-innings chase of 193. His cautious knock of 61* off 181 balls stretched over nearly two sessions, but ultimately, it wasn’t enough as India fell short by 22 runs.

Jadeja walked in with India teetering at 71/5 and had to shepherd the fragile tail. While Jasprit Bumrah showed admirable resistance with five off 54 balls and Mohammed Siraj contributed four off 30, it was Jadeja who carried the weight of India’s hopes. However, Manjrekar argued that despite Jadeja’s patience and resilience, the lack of urgency in his approach meant the momentum never shifted India’s way.

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“Jadeja looked solid and showed great trust in his defense, but it never appeared like he was willing to take the necessary risks to win the game,” Sanjay Manjrekar said on JioHotstar. “It felt like he was playing a waiting game, hoping something would change, rather than forcing the issue.”

Interestingly, Sanjay Manjrekar heaped praise on Bumrah for his batting effort, highlighting the pacer’s mental strength. “What Bumrah did was outstanding. He stood there for over 100 minutes against top-quality fast bowling. His net sessions with the bat clearly paid off. That mental toughness we always admire in his bowling was evident in his batting too.”

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Manjrekar further pointed to the subdued celebrations in the Indian dressing room when Jadeja reached his half-century. “That moment told the story. When Jadeja got to his fifty, the balcony looked flat. The body language from the team suggested they knew a win was unlikely. Jadeja was fighting, no doubt, but given the scoring rate, the target, and the pitch, the chase looked out of India’s reach.”

With this defeat, India trail 2-1 in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. The fourth Test begins July 23 at Old Trafford, where India must bounce back to stay alive in the series.