Former Indian batter Ajay Jadeja hailed Ravindra Jadeja’s knock after India ended the opening day of the first Test match against Bangladesh in a formidable position at 339-6. Jadeja scored an unbeaten knock of 86 runs and added a fine alliance of 195 runs with Ravichandran Ashwin, who scored an unbeaten 102 runs, for the seventh wicket.
India was in trouble at 144-6 but Ashwin and Jadeja were able to rescue their team. Meanwhile, Jadeja has performed consistently in the last few years in the red-ball version and he has been one of India’s best batter in the format.
Jadeja has scored 3036 runs in 72 Test matches at an average of 36.14. In the last five years, the southpaw has scored 1562 runs in 30 Test matches at an average of 43.38.
“He has gotten better day by day and since the time he has got the belief, his batting average is better than many of your top-order batters, and especially if you see in the last little while, he has gone far ahead. He has given stability to this team,” Ajay Jadeja said on Colors Cineplex.
The cricketer-turned-commentator reckons Ashwin has the same ability as Jadeja but he isn’t as successful with the bat as he plays flamboyantly.
“We are praising Ashwin a lot but Ravindra probably gives more stability to this team. I am not just talking about this innings. If you see the last few years, Ravichandran Ashwin has the same batting skills but he plays a little flamboyantly, and the averages also reflect that over a period of time,” Ajay Jadeja observed.
Ajay Jadeja added while Ashwin adopted an aggressive approach, the left-handed Jadeja adopted a sedate approach as India was in a spot of bother at 144-6.
“If you had sent him (Jadeja) ahead today, his job was to play responsibly, and since Ravichandran Ashwin came down the order, his anger was justified. He started with anger but ultimately it was about the partnership. Ravindra has scored whatever he has and the rest he will score tomorrow. Today Ashwin went ahead,” he said in the same discussion.
“However, it was enjoyable to watch Ashwin today. Even I will say that, although I am also Jadeja. You have to agree today that the Chennai boy did an amazing job. It’s not that Jadeja was lacking anywhere but when someone has his birthday, you wish him, and similarly, you are wishing Ashwin today,” Ajay Jadeja stated.
India will look to consolidate on their position on the second day’s play.
