Top 5 Spells Of Ravindra Jadeja In Test Cricket

image-lrszyh6jJadeja celebrating a wicket in Sydney. (X.com)

One of the best all-rounders of this generation, Ravindra Jadeja started his Test career as a bowler who can. But in the last three to four years, his stature as a batter has grown to another level. There’s a good reason why he holds the number one ranking in Test cricket at the moment. But having said that, whenever the name Ravindra Jadeja comes to mind, it’s his bowling that takes the center stage, after all, he’s a bowling all-rounder.

Since bursting onto the Test arena in 2012, Jadeja, 'The bowler,' became an integral part of the team. He made his debut under MS Dhoni, who always got the best out of him when he was young. By the time Virat Kohli became the captain, he was already a finished product and continued to be India’s strike weapon, especially at home. Every time he wears the whites, he looks threatening. His main strength has always been his control and accuracy. 

In this article, we list down the top 5 spells by Ravindra Jadeja in Test cricket.

7/42 vs Australia, 2023

image-lrt00jxfJadeja dismantled Australia in Delhi. (X.com)

Jadeja achieved his career-best innings figures (7/42) and match figures (10/110) in Tests during the 2023 Border-Gavaskar Trophy match against Australia earlier last year in Delhi.

With both India and Australia posting nearly identical scores in their first innings, the match came down to a one-inning showdown in Delhi.

What followed is now considered history. Australia crumbled against the Indian spinners, particularly Ravindra Jadeja, who consistently bowled in the stumps channel, compelling the Australian batters to play outside their comfort zones. Australia found themselves in a decent position at the beginning of the third day, with a score of 61/1 and Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne holding their ground.

 However, Jadeja dismantled the Aussie batting lineup with his left-arm spin, joining forces with Ashwin to dismiss Australia for just 113 runs. The left-arm spinner had earlier taken 3/68 in the first innings as Australia were bowled out for 263 after choosing to bat first.

Australia collapsed from 61/1 to 113 all out in just a few overs. Thanks to Jadeja’s heroics with the ball, India won the Test – the second of the series – by six wickets.

7/48 vs England, 2016

image-lrt034poJadeja registered his first ten-wicket haul in this game. (X.com)

The game at Chepauk marked Jadeja's emergence from Ashwin's shadows, as he concluded with remarkable figures of 7/48, contributing significantly to India's improbable win in the last two sessions.

It was the fifth match of the Test series between India and England in Chennai, whenJadeja delivered an exceptional bowling spell that troubled the English batters. While this match is often remembered for Karun Nair’s triple ton and KL Rahul's unfortunate dismissal on 199, Jadeja’s spell with the ball cannot be counted. His remarkable spell occurred in the second innings when England was attempting to overcome India's lead. England managed to post only 207 runs before being bowled out, with Jadeja playing a crucial role as the major difference between the two sides. Displaying a combination of spin and bounce, Jadeja dismantled England’s middle and lower orders, securing a stunning 7/48 – his career-best figures and his inaugural 10-wicket haul in Test cricket.

6/138 vs South Africa, 2013

Unlike his dominant home record, Jadeja's performances overseas have not been as impressive. However, among all the spells he has bowled away from home, one particular instance gained significant attention. At just 25 years old, during his first Test outside India in 2013, Jadeja made an immediate impact by claiming a six-wicket haul against South Africa. This remarkable display occurred in the second Test of the two-match series on India's tour to South Africa. 

In the first innings of the Test, Jadeja dismissed the well-set batsmen Graeme Smith, AB de Villiers, Alviro Petersen, Jacques Kallis, and JP Duminy.

All these wickets were crucial as the players were in good form at the time, adding more value to Jadeja's returns. Subsequently, he took the wicket of Morne Morkel and concluded with figures of 6-138 at Kingsmead in Durban.

5/41 vs Sri Lanka, 2022

image-lrt07fryJadeja had a dream match in Mohali. (X.com)

In Virat Kohli's 100th Test match at the IS Bindra PCA Stadium, all eyes were on him, even amid his poor run of form with the bat. While Kohli couldn't mark his 100th Test with a standout performance, his teammate Jadeja ensured that the occasion would be memorable. Undoubtedly, this became one of Jadeja's most outstanding Tests. First, he scored a daddy hundred, scoring 175 runs in the first innings against Sri Lanka. Following this impressive batting display, he continued to shine with the ball, securing a five-wicket haul, marking his 10th in Test cricket.

When Sri Lanka resumed from their overnight score of 108/4 on Day 3, they appeared comfortable at 161/4 in their first innings. With India declaring their innings at 574/8, it seemed that Sri Lanka might avoid the follow-on. However, Jadeja's left-arm spin dismantled Sri Lanka's middle order swiftly, and they were dismissed for just 174 runs. This also marked Jadeja's first five-wicket haul since August 2017.

Dimuth Karunaratne was Jadeja's first victim, and he subsequently accounted for four of the final six wickets in Sri Lanka's innings. Niroshan Dickwella, Suranga Lakmal, Vishwa Fernando, and Lahiru Kumara were among Jadeja's victims in the first innings.

5/21 vs South Africa, 2015

image-lrt09302This was Jadeja's comeback series. (X.com)

The year 2014 proved to be the most challenging for Jadeja with the ball, as his average exceeded 50, prompting him to turn to the Ranji Trophy to regain his place in the team. Following strong performances in domestic cricket, Jadeja showcased his skills against South Africa. In the first Test on a turning Mohali track, Jadeja claimed figures of 3/55 and provided valuable support to Ashwin (who took 5/51), helping the hosts restrict the Proteas to 184.

India's batting struggled once again as they were dismissed for 200, setting the tourists a tricky target of 218. The resilience shown by Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, and Dean Elgar in the first innings gave South Africa confidence that they could chase down the target.

However, they encountered a red-hot Jadeja, who finished with 5/21. He bowled with brilliant accuracy, with 5 out of the 8 wickets he took in the game being bowled or LBW. His outstanding performance played a crucial role in India winning the match by 108 runs.