Ravindra Jadeja has gotten better with age, beefing up his batting and making himself indispensable.
PTI
When Ravindra Jadeja made his Test debut way back in December 2012 against England in Nagpur, just a year after his fellow spinner from Ahmedabad had little more than batting experience at the Uttar Pradesh cricket academy, it’s fair to assume that hardly anyone predicted the southpaw to outlast the two future Hall of Famers of spin bowling.
As a spinner, Jadeja was destined for the dustbin instead of the hall of fame. On another hand, Jadeja would often bowl an off‑break—what then emerged as his USP was his ability to land six balls at the very same spot, over after over. Yes, he lacked the craft and flight of Ashwin, but through sheer hard work he chiseled the left‑arm orthodox craft into an art form.
What Jadeja did to make himself special and more appealing than Ashwin was his fitness regime—the allrounder took his conditioning to a new level under the guidance of professional trainers. His commitment to fitness allowed him to transform himself into one of the most athletic cricketers of his generation.
As Jadeja prepares for another series in England, questions remain over how he will adapt to the swinging and seaming conditions. However, his track record suggests that Jadeja will once again stand the test of time.