Former England pacer Stuart Broad recently revealed that Ravindra Jadeja’s iconic sword celebration used to annoy him during their encounters. Broad recalled that the Indian all-rounder celebrated his fifties by swinging his bat like a sword, adding that such celebrations should be reserved for centuries.
Jadeja is currently preparing for India’s upcoming two-match Test series against Sri Lanka. The series begins on August 15 in Galle, with the experienced all-rounder entering the contest in good form after an impressive performance in India’s three-day warm-up match against Sri Lanka Cricket XI in Colombo.
"His Celebration Used to Annoy Me a Bit" - Stuart Broad on Ravindra Jadeja
Speaking on the For the Love of Cricket YouTube channel, Stuart Broad opened up about Jadeja's trademark sword celebration. Broad admitted that he found it amusing when Jadeja performed the celebration after scoring a half-century.
"His celebration used to annoy me a bit, like, what's this guy waving his bat around for a 50? I remember I used to say to him on a few occasions that batters actually average 50 and you are carrying on like this. It's flair, but I would have saved it for a hundred."
"His numbers are phenomenal to the point where they never knew whether to play him or Ravi Ashwin in England. That's a testament to Jadeja."
"When the Game Was Tight, He Always Seemed to Stand Up"- Jos Buttler Praises Ravindra Jadeja
Former England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler also spoke highly of Ravindra Jadeja's batting. He highlighted Jadeja's ability to handle pressure and contribute crucial runs when his team needs them most.
"He is a nightmare to face, especially in India. With him, I think about moments, and he's a proper gutsy player. With his batting especially, when the game was tight, he always seemed to stand up. When his team needed runs, he could do it. He had a bit of a hybrid role as well, where sometimes he would come out at 5 with the ball swinging around. He's an underrated batter in a funny way,"
Jadeja has scored more than 7,000 international runs and taken 634 wickets in 373 matches. He has also scored six international centuries and 41 half-centuries during his career.
The 37-year-old has been effective against England, scoring three Test centuries and 11 half-centuries. He has the ability to contribute with both bat and ball in India's Test setup.
Ravindra Jadeja Impresses With Bat and Ball Ahead of Sri Lanka Tests
Ravindra Jadeja was in good touch during India's three-day warm-up match against Sri Lanka Cricket XI. He scored 63 off 117 balls in the first innings, including seven boundaries, and shared a 74-run partnership with Devdutt Padikkal.
Jadeja also added 22 runs in the second innings before retiring out. With the ball, Ravindra Jadeja made an even bigger impact. He took four wickets in the match, returning figures of 2/64 in the first innings and 2/33 in the second as India completed a six-wicket victory.
Jadeja also entertained his teammates by imitating Kuldeep Yadav's bowling action during a light-hearted moment on the field. The video went viral across social media platforms.
