Ravindra Jadeja announces relinquishing Test vice-captaincy

Indian left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja has yet again shone with the ball, as West Indies ended Day 2 at 140/4, trailing by 378 runs after the home team declared their first innings at 518/5 in the ongoing second and final Test at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.

Ravindra Jadeja finished the day with the impressive figures of 3/37 in 14 overs to steal the show on the day that was dominated by the Indian batters, especially captain Shubman Gill, who struck a record-breaking century against the West Indies in Delhi.

Ravindra Jadeja downplays captaincy talks after shining with 3/37 in Delhi Test

After the end of day two’s play at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, the seasoned Indian all-rounder made it clear that captaincy or vice-captaincy is no longer on his mind when he was asked about the same. Notably, Jadeja is currently serving as the vice-captain in the ongoing West Indies Test series.

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And most recently, Gill was elevated as India’s ODI captain, replacing Rohit Sharma, and Shreyas Iyer was named his deputy ahead of the upcoming white-ball tour of Australia. However, Jadeja already retired from T20I cricket and was not picked in the ODI squad due to the team combination.

I don’t think about captaincy anymore: Ravindra Jadeja

But the Indian chief selector, Ajit Agarkar, insisted that Jadeja is still an integral part of the ODI scheme of things for the ICC World Cup 2027. Amidst the noise, Jadeja has stressed that he is focusing purely on contributing with bat and ball whenever the team needs him.

Despite being the vice-captain for the ongoing West Indies Tests, Jadeja said that the role has not changed his approach, saying he enjoys sharing his experience with younger players.

Ravindra Jadeja said at the press conference after the end of Day 2 (as quoted by journalist Vimal Kumar): “I don’t think about captaincy or vice-captaincy anymore. Just love batting and bowling whenever I get an opportunity.”

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Ravindra Jadeja eyes 2027 World Cup glory

Jadeja also made it clear that he wants to play in the ICC World Cup 2027 and revealed that he was already informed about his omission from the Australia tour.

The star all-rounder further noted, “I want to play in the 2027 World Cup, obviously. It's always a selection call. The good thing is that the selectors and captain spoke to me and explained, and I understand the reasons. Everyone's dream is to win the ODI World Cup.”

He has also made adjustments to both his mental approach and batting technique, which have improved his performance. Jadeja acknowledged that cricket is full of transitions, and while he may eventually be replaced, the game will always move forward.

Yashasvi Jaiswal highlights India's strong bowling effort on a batting-friendly pitch in Delhi

Meanwhile, the Delhi pitch has so far been good for the batting, yet the Indian bowlers managed to trouble the West Indies batters. Yashasvi Jaiswal noted that the pitch is still in good condition, and the team will keep pushing hard and try to take wickets quickly to stay in control of the game.

Yashasvi Jaiswal said at the post-match presentation, “The wicket is still pretty good; we are bowling very well. We will be seeing as quickly as we can get to them and get them again.”