Ravindra Jadeja demands better performances from Virat Kohli & Co. with 'pressure increases' message

The veteran India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has called for better performances from the top-order batters, including Virat Kohli, in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.

Ravindra Jadeja stated that the failure of the top-order puts more pressure on the lower-order batters and things get quite difficult for the India National Cricket Team.

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India batters have struggled in the BGT 2024-25

The batters of the visiting team, barring KL Rahul, have struggled to get going in the ongoing five-match Test series against Australia National Cricket Team.

Rahul, who has started to open the innings for the team, has looked the best among all the batters. He has scored 235 runs at an average of 47. The young all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy is the other batter, who has looked in fine touch and has scored 179 runs at an average of 44.75.

Captain Rohit Sharma has been absolutely miserable and has scored 19 runs in 3 innings while Shubman Gill has scored 60 runs in the same number of innings.

Young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal has scored 193 runs in 6 innings but 161 out of those runs have come in one innings while Rishabh Pant has registered just 96 runs.

Talking about the premier batter Virat Kohli, he has scored 126 runs, including one century, but has looked very poor and has got out several times chasing the deliveries outside the off-stump.

Hopefully, the top-order and the middle-order do well in this Test - Ravindra Jadeja

Meanwhile, star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is hopeful of the batters coming up with a good performance in the fourth Test match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

"Top-order runs are very important when you play outside India, especially in Australia and South Africa. When the top order doesn't score runs, the responsibility and pressure increase on the lower order," Ravindra Jadeja said during an interaction at the MCG.

"Hopefully, the top-order and the middle-order do well in this Test. As a team, we need the top order to perform. If everyone contributes in the batting unit, the team will do well."

It's good that we are 1-1 after three Tests - Ravindra Jadeja

The Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 is currently leveled at 1-1, and Jadeja wants India to win at least one match to retain the trophy. He stated:

"It's good that we are 1-1 after three Tests. The next two games will be very interesting too. If we win even one Test, we'll retain the trophy because we won the last two series."

Jadeja was not part of India's playing XI in the first two matches but was included in the third Test where he played a crucial knock of 77 runs. While talking about his selection, Jadeja said:

"I got a nice few days to understand and get used to the conditions. I was here so many days, I used to bowl and bat on the tracks here. I got more familiar with the conditions here. All my handwork in the nets helped me in the match and I played as per my plans."