Ravindra Jadeja has batted 15 times at No.4.
Chennai Super Kings’ batting issues in IPL 2025 are well-documented, as most batters have been inconsistent and lacked intent. CSK have promoted Ravindra Jadeja to No.4 in the last few games to counter this issue.
He also hit a fifty against the Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Wankhede Stadium in their latest fixture, accumulating 53 runs in 35 deliveries, including four boundaries and two maximums, at a strike rate of 151.42. He was the highest run-scorer of his team and remained unbeaten throughout the innings.
However, Aakash Chopra pointed out the drawbacks of such knocks, stating he played run-a-ball for an extended period on his YouTube channel. He explained that his innings was too slow, meaning CSK couldn’t reach an above-par total on a nice batting surface.
“The batting is still not doing well. Ravindra Jadeja was sent up the order. He scored a fifty as well last time, but he was going at a run-a-ball for a long time, which is not ideal because, ultimately, you were left too far behind. It was a 190 to 200-run pitch, and you didn’t even reach 160-165.”
Ravindra Jadeja can score runs at No.4, but those runs won’t be impactful or benefit the team. Jadeja has certain limitations while facing spin; he has an average of 18.16 and a strike rate of 102.83 against slow bowlers since 2024.
ALSO READ:
Now that he bats at No.4, teams can often lace spinners to counter him, and even if Jadeja preserves his wicket, the run rate never increases. Even against pacers, he has not done too well and requires time before going big, which won’t work at this crucial position.
For instance, Jadeja was on 33 in 28 deliveries at one stage, and his innings went nowhere against quality MI bowlers. While he hit a few shots in death overs, CSK could still reach only 176/5 on a track where 210 was a par score, and MI chased down the target with 26 balls to spare.
Overall, the southpaw has batted 15 times at No.4, accumulating 362 runs at an average of 36.20 and a tepid 125.69 strike rate in T20s. CSK can’t afford to compromise on the scoring rate to get some consistency, and Jadeja at No.4 is not a long-term solution.
For more updates, follow CricXtasy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Telegram, and YouTube.
