Improved batting ability is enhancing Jadeja’s all-round value

Ravindra Jadeja’s batting numbers have been on a constant rise since 2016. And he has taken his batting performances to another level in 2019. He is averaging 63.40 with the bat this year, the highest he has averaged as a batsman in any year.

The 30-year-old has scored three fifties, which include a best score of 91, in the seven innings he has batted in this year. Not only that, he has the third highest tally of runs among players who have taken 10 or more wickets since the start of the year. He has amassed 317 runs along with 18 wickets to his name. Only Ben Stokes (627) and Jason Holder (333) have more runs than him.

Moreover, his batting average of 63.40 is the best for any player in this category. And his tally of 18 wickets is also the joint second-highest for any player who has scored at least 100 runs this year.

Jadeja is already averaging a mammoth 80.50 with the bat with scores of 30*, 40 and 91 to his name in the ongoing series against South Africa. He came very close to scoring the second century of his career in the second Test of the series at Pune. But he was dismissed on 91 while trying to accelerate the scoring for the team’s cause. He was also involved in a 225-run stand for the fifth wicket with skipper Virat Kohli. Such a fine partnership had helped India to declare with a gigantic first innings total of 601/5.

His other two fifties this year came in Sydney and Antigua against Australia and West Indies respectively. He scored an unbeaten 81 against Australia in January which came while batting at No. 8. He was once again involved in a 204-run partnership for the seventh wicket with Rishabh Pant. The match ended in a draw though. Jadeja’s next fifty was an innings of 58 against West Indies in August. This knock was very important as he added 108 runs with the lower-order and took India to a first innings total of 297 runs from a position of 189/6. India went on to win the match by a massive margin of 318 runs and Jadeja’s recovery innings played a vital part in that as well.

The 30-year-old has become a lot more responsible as a batsman in the last couple of years. He had always been a good batsman, a first-class average of 47.09 and a tally of 10 centuries would tell you that. It’s just that he took time to arrive at the international stage. But now that he is here, he is making it count.

Written by: Prasenjit Dey