Ravindra Jadeja A Hero Or Villain? Anil Kumble's Remarks On Lord's Test Defeat Stumps Everyone
Former India spinner Anil Kumble, one of the greatest to play the game, has questioned Jadeja's approach against England, saying he expected a more positive approach from the all-rounder as he has played on tougher pitches against better bowling attacks.
"The two bowlers he could have potentially taken on were Chris Woakes, who is slightly slower in the air, and then Bashir and Joe Root. I know they're off-spinners taking the ball away, but it wasn't turning square. So there wasn't a lot to worry about in terms of spin or the outside edge. Jadeja has played on tougher pitches and against better bowling. I thought he could have taken a chance," Kumble said after the game.
"You want to take those risks. Yes, there were a few runs he rightly declined because Bumrah and Siraj were at the other end, but he could have chanced it a bit more," Kumble further said, suggesting a more attacking approach might have been the key for India.
Another former India great, Sunil Gavaskar, who had earlier given a similar verdict like Kumble, later said that it was tough for Jadeja to do more than what he had already done in the match.
"I think it was dictated by the fact that he was batting with the lower-order batters. He was trying to farm the strike as much as possible. Also, at that stage, you're wary of playing aerial shots on that kind of pitch. And the Indian team tends to take the game deep - that's what he was aiming for," Gavaskar told India Today.
After the game, India captain Shubman Gill also shared his verdict on Jadeja's performance, calling him one of the team's 'most valuable players'.
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