Ravindra Jadeja joins elite list of all rounders featuring Jacques Kallis and Imran Khan
Published - 27 Jan 2024, 01:07 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 10:23 AM
Star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja excelled with both bat and ball for India in the ongoing first Test of the five-match series against England. Ravindra Jadeja played a crucial knock to put his team in a commanding position over the visitors in the series opener in Hyderabad.
Ravindra Jadeja scored 87 runs off 180 balls, including seven fours and two sixes, at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. However, the left-handed batter failed to reach his fourth Test century as he was dismissed controversially by Joe Root on the third day.
Following Jadeja’s dismissal, the Men in Blue lost the remaining two wickets without adding a run to the board. Jasprit Bumrah was dismissed for a first-ball duck, while Rehan Ahmed bowled out Axar Patel. The hosts scored 436 runs, taking a 190-run lead in the first innings.
Earlier, the left-arm spinner made significant contributions with the ball in England’s first innings of the series opener, taking three wickets for 88 runs in his 18 overs. He dismissed key batsmen, including Ollie Pope, Joe Root, and debutant Tom Hartley, on the first day.
Is Ravindra Jadeja the Greatest Indian All-Rounder?
Ravindra Jadeja boasts an impressive record in home Tests, scoring 1679 runs in 41 matches at an impressive average of 40.95, featuring two centuries and 12 fifties. Additionally, he has taken 197 wickets on home soil at an average of 20.59, securing 10 five-wicket hauls.
Overall, the all-rounder has scored 2891 runs in 69 Tests at an average of 36.59, including three centuries and 20 half-centuries, with a best score of 175. The left-arm spinner has picked up 278 wickets at an impressive average of 24.13, with 12 five-fers in Test cricket.
The 35-year-old is part of an elite group of all-rounders, including Gary Sobers, Jacques Kallis, Imran Khan, and Shaun Pollock. The Saurashtra cricketer boasts a significant difference of 12.93 between his batting and bowling averages, ranking him fourth in this list.
Ravindra Jadeja is part of the Elist list. ⭐
– One of the greatest all rounders in Test history. pic.twitter.com/1CkxupkPAj
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) January 27, 2024
Ravindra Jadeja Is The No.1 All-Rounder In The World – Aakash Chopra
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra emphasized that Ravindra Jadeja deserves more credit in Test cricket. Chopra noted that if Jadeja continues to perform well, the gap between him and the second-ranked player will widen even further.
“We need to praise Ravindra Jadeja. I think we do a disservice at times. We don’t give him that much importance. He is the No. 1 all-rounder in the world if we talk about the ICC rankings and he is 90 points ahead of the second-ranked guy,” Chopra said.
“If he scores a century here, he took three wickets in the first innings and will pick up wickets in the second innings as well, his ranking points will increase further. So there is a huge gulf between No. 1 and No. 2,” he added.
Ravindra Jadeja leads the ICC all-rounder rankings in Test cricket with 434 rating points, holding a significant 93-point lead over second-placed Ravichandran Ashwin. In the rankings, Shakib Al Hasan follows with 320 points, and Ben Stokes is in third place with 307 points.
