On Tuesday, October 21, in the ongoing 2nd Test between South Africa and Pakistan, star spinner Keshav Maharaj weaved his magic and picked up a five-wicket haul to trigger a collapse early on Day 2.
Notably, Maharaj registered the figures of 7/102 in his 43 overs and rattled Pakistan with his bowling. Not only did Maharaj break Paul Adams' record for best bowling spell vs Pakistan by a spinner, but he also extended his lead as the best South Africa spinner in their Test history.
Maharaj, who was already South Africa's leading-wicket taker in Proteas' history, now has 210 Test wickets in just 60 games for the Rainbow Nation. Overall, Maharaj is the ninth leading wicket-taker for South Africa and 40 wickets ahead of HJ Tayfield, who is the second-leading wicket-taking spinner for the Proteas.
While there is no denying that Maharaj will go down in South Africa's history as their best spinner, it is equally important to compare his stature alongside his peers across nations, and the first name that comes to mind is Ravindra Jadeja.
Jadeja has been one of the best bowlers for India in red-ball cricket and it is important to compare Maharaj's stats with the Indian counterpart after 60 Tests.
Keshav Maharaj vs Ravindra Jadeja overall stats after 60 Tests StatsSelect Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table
Keshav MaharajSelect Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table
Ravindra Jadeja Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table
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Key observation
If we look at the overall stats, then interestingly, Maharaj isn't far away from Jadeja contrast what it is perceived. After 60 Tests, Jadeja leads Maharaj by 32 wickets, but if we look at the strike-rate, then Maharaj actually outshines Jaddu and has a better strike-rate of picking up a wicket every 57th delivery.
Although, if we look at the average, then Jadeja is better than Maharaj, but the latter boasts more fifers than the India star.
If we analyse the stats, then it can inferred that Jadeja has picked up more wickets regularly than Maharaj. Like Jaddu has two-three wickets in almost every innings, which speaks for his more wickets than Maharaj despite fewer fifers.
However, for the Proteas spinner, whenever he has picked up wickets, he has taken them in bulk just like in the first innings against Pakistan in the ongoing 2nd Test, where he took a seven-wicket haul, which also brings down his strike-rate than Jadeja and also explains higher average.
But, this is not the full comparison as it is equally important to look not at their home and away Test record after 60 Test innings but performance on spin-friendly tracks and non spin-friendly tracks
Keshav Maharaj vs Ravindra Jadeja: Stats at spin friendly and non-friendly tracks Lets first look at their stats on spin friendly tracks such as India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh
StatsSelect Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table
Keshav MaharajSelect Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table
Ravindra Jadeja Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table
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Lets first look at their stats on non-spin friendly tracks such as Australia, South Africa, England, and New Zealand
StatsSelect Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table
Keshav MaharajSelect Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table
Ravindra Jadeja Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table Select Add Row Above Add Row Below Add Column Right Add Column Left Delete Row Delete Column Delete Table
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If we look at the stats, then it is quite clear that Ravindra Jadeja totally dominated the home turf and surprisingly has done well away from home as well, which is not the case for every Indian bowler.
Meanwhile, Keshav Maharaj is also similar to Ravindra Jadeja, where he has actually averaged better on non-spin friendly tracks. Maharaj averages 27.6 outside Asia and 30.21 in Asia.
Conclusion To conclude, Maharaj isn't far away from Ravindra Jadeja after first 60 Test matches, but this doesn't take the fact away that Jadeja has better stats than the South Africa's leading wicket-taker in Test cricket and yet he is not even the third best Indian spinner stats wise in India, which speaks a volume about the quality of spinners in India and South Africa.
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Ravindra Jadeja and Maharaj - (Source: AFP)
