Ravindra Jadeja's top three knocks in Test cricket

Ravindra Jadeja has been the mainstay in India’s bowling for the better part of the last decade, especially at home. Together with Ravi Ashwin, he has bowled several match-winning spells in the sub-continent and has been an integral reason behind India’s 12-year winning streak at home. He has spun it square in the sub-continent and played a vital contingency role overseas. 

While Ravindra Jadeja’s bowling exploits are a stranger to nobody, an underrated aspect of his game has been his batting. Over the past two years, Ravindra Jadeja has massively improved as a batter, notching up valuable contributions with the tailenders. 

Here’s a look at three of Ravindra Jadeja’s best knocks in Test cricket: 

1. 175* vs Sri Lanka, Mohali, 2022

This remains Ravindra Jadeja’s highest score in Test cricket, and he notched up these runs on a tricky surface at Mohali in 2022. Opting to bat first, India got starts from most of their top order, but none of them could consolidate into big scores as the hosts were 228/5 when Jadeja walked out to the middle. He first stitched a 104-run partnership with Rishabh Pant, and then a 130-run partnership with Ravichandran Ashwin. 

Jadeja got India from a slightly tricky position to a position of supreme comfort, as he picked up just his second century at home. Ravindra Jadeja remained not out at 175 till the very end, as India finished with 574 runs. He scored 17 fours and three sixes in that innings, breaking the morale of the Sri Lankans in the process. Sri Lanka were all out for 174 and 178 in that Test, as Jadeja contributed with nine wickets as well in the game. 

2. 104 vs England, Edgbaston, 2022

This remains one of Ravindra Jadeja’s finest knocks overseas, as he not only notched up his first century away from home but also helped rescue India from a position of real peril. Batting first, India found themselves at 98/5, as Gill, Kohli, Pujara, and Shreyas Iyer all fell cheaply. Jadeja however got together with Rishabh Pant to turn the tide for the visitors. The two left-handers got together to stitch a partnership of 222 runs, as India avoided an early first innings collapse. Jadeja was watchful at the start, allowing Rishabh Pant to do the bulk of the scoring. 

Pant top-scored for the team with 146, while Jadeja stayed resolute. Ravindra Jadeja took over after Pant’s dismissal, as he scored 13 boundaries en route to a notable century. He was also batting alongside Jasprit Bumrah, who famously hit Stuart Broad for 35 runs in an over in that Test. Despite Jadeja’s century though, India couldn’t win that Test match as Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root scored centuries in the fourth innings and chased down a record 378-run target. 

3. 61* vs England, Lord’s, 2025

Ravindra Jadeja put up a monumental fight on a faltering day five pitch at Lord’s to almost get India over the line in the recently concluded third Test against England. Coming in to bat early in the morning with India at 71/5, Jadeja saw the wickets of KL Rahul and Washington Sundar fall quickly. It was looking like India might collapse under England’s bowling pressure with the team at 82/7, but Ravindra Jadeja fought till the last session and gave the hosts an almighty scare. 

He first stitched a partnership of 30 with Nitish Kumar, and then got partnerships of 35 and 23 with Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Siraj, respectively. Jaddu shepherded the tail brilliantly in the second session, as he blocked the majority of the deliveries and left like a ball or two to the others. He played slowly, soaking in the pressure and taking the game deep. 

Jadeja scored four fours and a six against a marauding Ben Stokes and Co., scoring a fifty as India lost just one wicket in the middle session. With the margin for victory down to 22 runs, Siraj defended a Shoaib Bashir delivery back onto his stumps. Jadeja was left stranded on the other end. While he couldn’t get India over the line, Jadeja’s relentless fight deserves to be appluaded.