Ravindra Jadeja goes 'I bowl at the stump' - Brad Haddin recalls interesting conversation with Indian all-rounder

Ravindra Jadeja has made a sizeable contribution with bat and ball in the Test series against England so far. He has scored 217 runs in three Test matches at an average of 43.40 and has picked up 17 wickets with the ball at an average of 25.53.

He will be an important cog in the Indian wheel in the fifth Test as well in Dharamsala starting from March 7. India have already won the series 3-1. England won the first Test by 28 runs. India won the second by 106 runs, third by 434 runs, and the fourth Test in Ranchi by five wickets. All the four Test matches ended within the first four days.

Former Australian wicketkeeper-batsman Brad Haddin at a recent podcast named Willow Talk podcast, spoke about the uniqueness in the bowling of Jadeja. He spoke about how the Australian bowlers always used to ask Jadeja how he bowled what he bowled and whether he understood which one would turn and which one would not.

“Jadeja was always a really interesting one to talk to after a Test series. Because all the spinners would go over and say, ‘What, are you undercutting the ball? Are you going over the top?’. He goes, ‘I just bowl at the stump.’ And you go, ‘Nah nah nah, what else you do?” Haddin said on Jadeja.

“He goes, ‘I bowl at the stump, the wicket will do it. You guys think it’s going to do something.’. ‘What about the straight one?’ He goes, ‘Sometimes it goes straight” he further added.

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The former Australian wicketkeeper-batsman further explained the problems when facing Jadeja. He said it is difficult to judge which ball would turn and which one would go straight after pitching. He said that even Jadeja was not sure about the same.

“And you’re out there batting, you think, ‘Is this the one that goes straight?’. You talk to him afterwards, you go, ‘What did you do with that one?’. He goes, ‘I just put on the stumps, and that was the one that skid.” Haddin explained.

Ravindra Jadeja Eyeing 300 Test Wickets

Jadeja has the most wickets in Test cricket against England and Australia. He has been effective against them both with bat and ball at home and overseas. He has 89 wickets against Australia and 68 against England. Overall, he is just eight shy of 300 Test wickets. He also has scored over 1000 Test runs against England. His next best is against Australia with 570 runs in 17 matches.

Jadeja missed the second Test as he was ruled out with a hamstring injury. He came back in the third Test and scored a century at his home ground in Rajkot. He has been a brilliant contributor with both bat and ball for India across formats and only a few players have played over 50 games across formats.

Ravindra Jadeja was placed in Grade A+ by the BCCI in its latest release of the central contracts alongside Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah. The list was released on February 28.

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