Ravindra Jadeja going back to pavilion during the fourth day of the 4th Test vs England.© BCCI
Former England captain Alastair Cook criticised the batting of India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja after the player failed to play a noticeable knock in the Ranchi Test. Jadeja, who batted at number 5 ahead of Sarfaraz Khan and Dhruv Jurel in both innings against England, failed to help the team’s cause by returning scores of run-a-ball 12 and 4 off 33. Cook opined that the India star finds it hard to maintain a balance between attack and defence whenever he bats at the number 5 spot.
“Jadeja in particular showed probably why he should be batting a little bit lower.” Cook told TNT Sports.
“Yes he can score runs but the ability, under pressure, to find that balance between attack and defence under pressure – pressure does funny thing to you.
“Jadeja is a world-class all-rounder, but batting at five there he struggled in terms of taking no risks because he didn’t want to get out or trying to put a bit of pressure back on as a batter.”
On the other hand, Cook was all praise for Jurel, who was playing only his second Test match.
In the first innings of the Ranchi Test, Jurel scored 90 runs off 149 balls to keep India alive in the game while in the second innings he remained unbeaten at the score of 39 off 77 balls.
“But Jurel found that balance perfectly with his feet movement and sharpness of mind,” said Cook.
Shubman Gill and Jurel kept calm to lead India to a series-clinching five-wicket win over England. The hosts won the fourth Test by 5 wickets, taking an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series after they lost the first game.
Chasing 192 for victory, India slipped to 120 for 5 but Gill, who scored 52, and Jurel stitched unbeaten 72-run partnership to guide India to victory.
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