New Delhi [India], July 28 : Former cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu highlighted a quality that India's seasoned all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja lacks the ability to win Test matches for the nation in the uncharted overseas conditions.
Jadeja dazzled in Manchester, negating the uneven bounce on the final day to steer India to a draw in the fourth Test at Old Trafford, keeping the series alive for his side. He wielded the bat with grit while Washington Sundar offered ideal support on the other end, and returned unbeaten on 107(185).
Sidhu, who has lavished praise on Jadeja in the past, pointed out that Jadeja's failure to deliver wins for India in overseas Tests is affecting India. He invoked the example of the legendary Kapil Dev to further strengthen his case.
"I have praised Jadeja a lot. Kapil Dev was a bowling all-rounder, and he won a lot of Tests for India in overseas. But Jadeja has done well in the supporting role away from home. He bowls his overs quickly and executes restrictive bowling, but he is unable to win Test matches, and it has been evident since the first Test," Sidhu said on his YouTube channel.
This hasn't been the first time Jadeja has been criticised for this facet of his game. After India's gut-wrenching 22-run defeat at Lord's, former cricketers questioned the southpaw's approach during the pursuit of the 193-run target.
Both teams remained inseparable after day three, with both posting 387 on the board. The Lord's turf came alive for the last four days, and India forced the Three Lions to bundle out on 192. Despite pursuing a paltry target, an inspired spell from England's quicks left India reeling at 58/4 on the penultimate day.
England captain Ben Stokes and tearaway Jofra Archer ran rampant and ripped apart India's middle order to leave the beleaguered tourists threadbare at 112/8. Jadeja (61*) was the last designated batter left with 81 runs short of salvaging a victory.
He fought hard with tail-enders Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj but eventually surrendered to a 22-run defeat. Spinner Shoaib Bashir delivered the decisive blow after Siraj defended the ball, but the overspin took the ball back into the stumps. Throughout their resistance act, Jadeja refrained from rotating strikes or conjuring a stroke to find the boundary rope.
Former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin was among those who felt that if Jadeja had approached with more positivity, India would have left the 'Home of Cricket' with a 2-1 lead instead of the deficit.