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Ravindra Jadeja: Ravindra Jadeja has been one of the most important members of the Indian ODI team for almost 17 years. He is known as the “3D cricketer” for his reliable performance with the bat, control with the ball and excellent fielding in the field.
Ravindra Jadeja has been one of the most important members of the Indian ODI team for almost 17 years. He is known as the “3D cricketer” for his reliable performance with the bat, control with the ball and excellent fielding in the field. 232 wickets and 2905 runs are the big proof of his ODI career. However, cricket has changed with time, and with that change, Jadeja’s ODI future is now in big question.
Jadeja’s ODI performance has clearly declined since World Cup 2023. In the 13 matches he played during this period, he scored only around 150 runs with the bat, which is very less compared to his experience. While India’s top and middle order were strong, Jadeja was not under pressure to score big runs, but his contribution in the critical moments of the match fell short of expectations.
The noise is the most in his bowling. The one who once used to take the rush of the match in his own hands in the middle overs, now he is not able to make much of an impact there. Taking just 12 wickets in 13 matches after World Cup 2023 is a worry for the veteran spin all-rounder. More worryingly, his economy rate has also gone up while taking these wickets.
Jadeja’s performances in the India vs South Africa and India vs New Zealand ODI series have fueled this discussion. Just one wicket in six matches and a handful of runs with the bat—these stats clearly show that he is not in his best form. Slow batting at crucial moments especially against New Zealand put added pressure on the team.
Former Indian pacer Zaheer Khan feels that just stopping runs is not enough in modern ODI cricket. The middle overs are now the turning point of the match, where the bowlers must be aggressive and take wickets. Jadeja is currently lagging behind in this aspect, as his bowling is becoming predictable at times.
Akshar Patel’s name naturally comes to the fore in this scenario. Akshar has proved to be more effective than Jadeja in recent times – batting and bowling. His variations of pace, use of angles and bold bowling make him more useful in the ODI format.
Keeping the future in mind, India is looking for more options. Left-arm spinners in domestic cricket like Shams Mulani, Manav Sutthar, Sai Kishore may be given a chance. Even young all-rounders like Bipraj Nigam are being kept on trial list to build a strong team ahead of the 2027 World Cup.
All in all, the question now is only one – has Ravindra Jadeja’s time in ODI cricket come to an end? Experience and past success still make him valuable, but current form and future plans are big challenges for India. The tour of England and the upcoming series will decide whether Jadeja stays in the ODI team or the new generation takes his place.
Kolkata, West Bengal
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