Ravindra Jadeja vs Ben Stokes: Statistical Comparison After 84 Test Matches

Ravindra Jadeja vs Ben Stokes [Source: AP Photos]

The fourth Test between England and India at Old Trafford, Manchester, ended in unprecedented drama. Nearing the end of the fifth day in the game, with 15 overs remaining, the English captain, Ben Stokes, offered Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar a handshake to settle the match for a draw.

However, the Indian duo batting on 89 and 80 respectively, declined and continued to bat for their centuries.

The situation led to a dramatic confrontation between the two all-rounders, during which some heated words were exchanged. The frustration and annoyance in Stokes was evident as he said to Jadeja, "You want to get a Test Hundred against Harry Brook and Ben Duckett?"

The incident provides the perfect backdrop for an analytical comparison between the two all-rounders after their 84th Test match.

Ravindra Jadeja vs Ben Stokes: Overall Comparison After 84 Test Matches

A look at the numbers reveals the impact and importance of the two players to their teams. The difference in bowling and batting averages of Ravindra Jadeja is approximately 12.79, which reveals a genuine all-rounder, indicating that he makes equal contributions to both disciplines.

On the other, Ben Stokes has a difference of 3.70 between his batting and bowling averages. While his numbers are more than good enough, they reveal that he is more of a batting all-rounder, who bowls. 

By the 84th Test match in his career, Stokes had just 185 wickets, while Jadeja had already picked up 330, showing who the better wicket-taker between the two is. While Stokes occasionally produces brilliant spells in Test cricket, Jadeja's numbers indicate a more consistent performer.

Ravindra Jadeja vs Ben Stokes: Batting Analysis After 84 Test Matches

A look at the batting numbers of the two players after 84 Test matches, and we can see that Stokes had played 154 innings by then, while Jadeja had played 126. That is 28 more digs at batting in the same number of games. The raw average numbers show that Jadeja has the upper hand over Stokes. 

The conversion rate of Stokes is much better than Jadeja's. Every three knocks (2.82) where Stokes reaches 50, he scores a 100. On the other hand, Jadeja converts every sixth (6.2) half-century to a Test ton. 

The performance of the two players with the bat away from their home conditions also reveals who is better at adaptivity. While Jadeja averages 40.04 away from home, Stokes average 35.50. This difference of about 4.5 runs clearly states that Jadeja is able to adjust his game to different conditions much better than Stokes.

Ravindra Jadeja vs Ben Stokes: Bowling Analysis After 84 Tests

The comparison of the bowling stats between the two players after 84 Test matches reveals a huge gap. Jadeja has 84 Test wickets under his belt, which is about four wickets (3.93) per match. Stokes, on the other hand, had 185 wickets after 84 matches, averaging about 2 wickets (2.20) per match. This suggests that Jaddu is approximately 78% more penetrative with the ball than Stokes.

Now, a look at their bowling averages. The Indian all-rounder averages 25.06, while after his 84th Test, Stokes averaged 32.24 with the ball. As far as strike rates are concerned, i.e., balls taken to pick up a wicket, they are quite identical (58.4 vs 58.5, respectively). Still, Jadeja concedes about seven runs less to pick up a wicket, becoming the more effective of the two.

Comparing the five-wicket hauls of the two players will give us an idea about who among the two can win matches single-handedly with the ball. Jadeja now has 15 five-fers in 84 Test matches (i.e., one every 5.6 Tests) vs Stokes' had 4 by his 84th Test (one every 21 Tests).  

These are not just mere statistical differences; they represent the difference between a strike bowler and a useful fifth bowling option.

Match Impact: Beyond Win Percentages

With Jadeja in the team, India win 57.1% of their matches; on the other hand, England had won 41.7% of their matches with Ben Stokes (after 84 Test matches) in the team. However, the contribution of the two players in team wins reveals a deeper story. 

Jadeja's Match-Winning Foundation:

• Home: 238 wickets in 49 Tests (4.86 per Test) at 20.71 average
• Away: Still averages 40.04 with the bat despite bowling struggles
• Provides consistent all-round contributions across conditions

Stokes' Conditional Impact:

• More even bowling performance home/away but significantly lower wicket-taking
• Batting drops considerably away from home (38.68 to 35.50)
• Relies more on explosive individual performances rather than consistent contribution

The data shows Jadeja makes more impactful and consistent contributions in winning causes than Ben Stokes. For the English all-rounder, the impacts are more situational and condition-dependent.

The Verdict

The overall analysis in this article reveals Jadeja as the superior all-rounder in Test cricket after 84 Test matches. While Stokes excels at explosive batting and occasional match-winning performances, Jadeja's combination of consistent batting, elite bowling, and exceptional fielding creates more wins for India. 

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