Could Ravindra Jadeja bat in the top six in Test cricket?
Ravindra Jadeja in the top six, even as a No.5, in Test cricket could be a revolutionary move and help India on several fronts. But how feasible is it and would the Rohit Sharma-Rahul Dravid combo make the move?
The recently concluded Mohali Test between India and Sri Lanka was, just like any other home Test in recent times, all about Team India dominating from the word go. Also, just like any other home test would have, it entailed more of the same template we know India follow at home. In this instance, it was the way Ravindra Jadeja, the batter, went about his batting. It wasn’t a surprising positive though, coming from someone as improved as Ravindra Jadeja. With only three less than 1900 runs since 2016, he’s seemingly on a mission to improve with each passing game. And this isn’t an exaggeration by any means. Take the case of the first two days of the Mohali Test.
With Rishabh Pant going berserk at one end, it was clever from Jadeja to play second-fiddle to the set batter and not let the game slip further, after coming in to bat at a dicey juncture. With timely boundaries and singles in between he continued to do so even after Pant’s dismissal, with R Ashwin now playing the aggressor role. It was after Ashwin and Jayant’s dismissal when he cut it loose, gathering the last 71 of his 175 runs in only 60 balls. Even in that phase of ‘upping the ante’, there were hardly any ugly or desperate slogs.
The innings, which saw him staying unbeaten till the very end, was indicative of his consistent growth in stature as a batsman. Of the 11 innings in which he has played 100 balls, only 1 has come in the pre-2018 era with as many as 10 coming since 2018.
Observing Jadeja in the form of his life, there have been many calls asking for his induction in the top 6 in Tests, so as to optimise his form. With Ajinkya Rahane, India’s long-standing No.5, dropped the calls have only intensified. The clamour wasn’t just from the fans, with teammates including skipper Rohit Sharma hinting at a similar move.
Lauding his spin partner’s efforts, R Ashwin said, ” He has really come a long way in the last four-five years. I think his position is a little low for the way he is batting at the moment.”
All these constant voices backed with consistent performances have strengthened the case for Ravindra Jadeja being promoted up the order. Having the suitable and compact game, he has time and again shown signs of being a potential revelation in the top 6. Barring the above discussed, there are other reasons as well, conveying why he should be batting in the top 6, desirably as a long-term option.
To be one or among the world’s best
There would be absolutely no hesitation in hailing Jadeja as the premium all-rounder India have long sought. Batting up the order would enable him to make the optimum use of his batting prowess, improve the average further, bring the glaring difference between centuries and half-centuries down, etch his name in the list of all-time greats and become the best all-rounder in the world, at least among those actively playing. It might seem a bit far-fetched but the odds are currently working in his favour.
R Ashwin: ” He has really come a long way in the last four-five years. I think his position is a little low for the way he is batting at the moment.”
Ravindra Jadeja – impressive recent record
Though the sample size of 10 international innings is too small to be used for nailing the argument, it is a decent hint to ascertain his abilities. Remaining unbeaten in four of the 10 innings, he averages 54.50 at No.6. What’s more astonishing is the number of times he has succeeded in going past the 50-run mark in those innings, which reads 4. However, with the team already having Rahane and Pant as their designated No.5 and No.6, he never got a longer rope. But now, with the ouster of Rahane, he can certainly hope for a promotion and rightly so.
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Strengthening the bowling
Jadeja at 6 would allow the team management to play with as many as six genuine bowling options, haughty enough on the overseas tours. It may seem a riskier move at first glance, considering the dependence the team would be having on top 6 batters for posting a reasonable total on board, but the all-stronger bowling line-up would fancy defending whatever total is posted. After all, 20 wickets are what a team needs to win a Test match. It would also enable the team management to unleash the menacing duo of Jadeja and Ashwin in overseas tests.
Ravindra Jadeja’s batting houses it all
A batting side can go from 140/1 to 155/4 in no time, especially with the fast bowling-centric pitches in overseas conditions these days. Lack of resistance and application can affect it further. Ravindra Jadeja, in the batting unit stacked with free-flowing batsmen, can play the perfect foil. In such crunch situations, he can be promoted even to No.5, to hold one end up and resist any further casualties. A water-tight defence or a confident leave, an aggressive step out or an imperious hoick over the long-on, his batting houses it all.
Rohit Sharma, the newly appointed all-format captain had this to say when he was queried about Jadeja: “As a captain, I want to use Jadeja a lot more with the bat”, indicating Jadeja’s possible batting promotion in the upcoming games.
Though, batting Jadeja in the top six would force the team into playing with only four specialist batsmen, ironic in part with the number of batting talents present on the sidelines, waiting for their chance to come. Opting for Jadeja at six would mean no berth for seasoned players such as Shreyas Iyer and Shubman Gill in the eleven. This without bringing the domestic likes of Sarfaraz Khan, Priyank Panchal, Ajinkya Rahane into the frame. As such, fans and experts would be having little to very little tolerance before they object to his promotion. The pressure would soar sky-high while playing outside India. But, all they need are runs and Jadeja, if he succeeds in carrying the current form into a new role, can make India a world-beating unit, if they aren’t one already.
With all the advantages and limitations being discussed, the final call rests upon the shoulders of Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid. Will Rohit make another potential masterstroke to his impressive portfolio? Will Dravid add one more bold, unpopular move into his captaincy and coaching manual, studded with many similar calls?