After India’s humiliating defeat in Southampton, there were speculations that Ravindra Jadeja likely to make his place in the playing XI. Luckily, Ashwin’s injury led him into action after being kept out of the scene in the first four Tests against England.
Probably the 29-year-old prepared himself so mentally strong that the moment he took the field against the Englishmen, he left no stone unturned to leave a mark. Firstly he grabbed a 4-wicket haul and then scored the 9th fifty of his Test career.
Jadeja took the responsibility of controlling the damage after half of the team had returned to the dressing room. Batting alongside Vihari, he played a partnership of 77 runs for the 7th wicket. Once the debutant departed after getting his maiden fifty, the left-arm spinner shifted the gear.
In the 85th over, he struck a boundary off Moeen Ali’s delivery and got a fifty when the visitors were eight wickets down.
Since he got a 50 plus score after a year, this time Jadeja modified his globally renowned sword celebration. He did wave his bat in the air but before that, he enacted to buff the rust off his blade.
Here’s the video:
Jadeja’s innings was undoubtedly the best from an Indian tail-ender in this series so far. After his half-century, he seemed to be charged up as he played so fearlessly like never seen before. He even hit a six to James Anderson which was the first in the entire Indian innings.
Unfortunately, he couldn’t convert his fifty into a ton as Bumrah got run out in the 95th over and he remained unbeaten on 86.