England’s wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler has showered praise on Ravindra Jadeja ahead of the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka. Buttler said Jadeja will mostly stand up with the bat whenever the game is tight.

Jadeja has improved his batting manifold in the last few years. In the fourth Test match against England in 2025, Jadeja scored an unbeaten knock of 107 runs off 185 balls and played a key role in the draw.

The left-hander scored 516 runs in five Test matches against England at a splendid average of 86, including five half-centuries, the most by any batter in the series.

“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,” said Buttler about Jadeja on For the Love of Cricket YouTube Channel.

On the other hand, former England fast bowler Stuart Broad also praised Jadeja’s consistency in the red-ball version.

“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.”

However, Broad admitted he was annoyed with the way Jadeja celebrates his fifty. Jadeja is known for his sword celebration after reaching the personal milestone.

“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.”

Jadeja will be in action in the first Test against Sri Lanka.