Ravindra Jadeja is undoubtedly India’s greatest all-rounder; far ahead of Pat Cummins, Ben Stokes: Parthiv Patel

Parthiv Patel has opened up on Ravindra Jadeja’s all-round brilliance ahead of the second Test between India and West Indies in Delhi. The former wicketkeeper-batter labelled Jadeja as “India’s greatest all-rounder”, adding that he is “far ahead” of the likes of Ben Stokes, Pat Cummins, and Shakib Al Hasan.

Notably, Jadeja delivered a Player of the Match effort in Ahmedabad, notching up his sixth century in the format before scalping four second-innings wickets as India demolished their opponents with a innings-and-140-run win.

“It’s been brilliant to see the way Jadeja has been batting. A lot of it comes down to the responsibility he’s embraced since being appointed vice-captain. Even before that, the Indian management showed faith in him, encouraging him to take responsibility with the bat and bat flexibly in the order, be it at five, six, or seven. When the dressing room trusts you like that, it changes your mindset.

“Though he is primarily an all-rounder, with the ability to take wickets, his batting contributions have become invaluable. His best innings in recent months was the resilient draw against England, where he showed maturity under pressure. In this Test match, his positive footwork and ability to stay not out without giving away his wicket were key factors.

“Jadeja is undoubtedly India’s greatest all-rounder. With nearly 4,000 runs and approaching 335 wickets, I expect him to surpass 400 wickets and 4,000 runs by the end of his career, which is a monumental achievement. On the global stage, he is currently the number one all-rounder, there is no debate about it. While names like Ben Stokes, Pat Cummins, and Shakib Al Hasan come up, Jadeja stands far ahead. His exceptional consistency as both, a bowler and batter, across all conditions, sets him apart. It’s not just occasional brilliance; it’s sustained performance that solidifies his position as the world’s best all-rounder at present.”

Jadeja, Siraj attain career-best positions in Test Rankings

Read More

Jadeja, Siraj attain career-best positions in Test Rankings

Parthiv also hailed Kuldeep Yadav’s performance in the first Test, mentioning that he looked in brilliant rhythm and gave nothing away to the West Indies batters.

“Kuldeep Yadav’s performance was impressive. The challenge isn’t always the opposition. Sometimes, it’s about finding rhythm again. From my experience talking with Kuldeep, I know he prioritises how the ball comes out of his hand. When that release is good, it doesn’t matter whether it’s a red or white ball. In this match, especially in the second innings against Roston Chase, his setup was brilliant. Using three wrist spinners and mixing in the googly showed he’s in control of his bowling. There were hardly any loose deliveries. That level of consistency indicates he’s very much in command of his craft.” 

Parthiv further stated that the biggest positive for the team in the first meeting was the fact their victory came on a balanced wicket and not a rank turner, something which had become a trend in Tests in India over the last few years.

“India’s biggest takeaway from the first Test was that they didn’t play on a rank turner, which we haven’t seen too often since the 2016 England series. It was refreshing to see a clinical all-round performance. Yes, West Indies might not be the strongest side at the moment, but from India’s perspective, you still have to go out there, execute your plans, and back your skills. The West Indian bowlers did challenge India with the new ball early on, but overall, India showed, in this Test, that they were clearly the superior team.”

Asked about India’s selection strategy ahead of the second Test against West Indies, Parthiv reckoned that it will be a “tricky” call to make with India having little time between the conclusion of the second Test and the start of the white-ball series against Australia. He reckoned India might play Jasprit Bumrah since he is not part of the ODI squad while Mohammed Siraj, who will be playing the 50-over games Down Under, could be replaced by all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy.

“It’s a tricky situation. Jasprit Bumrah is resting from the ODI series against Australia, but I expect him to feature in the second Test. Mohammad Siraj is heading to Australia for the ODIs, so Nitish Kumar Reddy is likely to replace him there and may be considered for the South Africa series as well. For the second Test, I’d like to see Nitish utilized more as both, a batter and bowler. On Day 3 of the last Test, he had a chance to bowl a few overs but didn’t get enough opportunity. That’s something India could explore. Regarding Devdutt Padikkal, given the current batting line-up and Sai Sudharsan’s role at number three, Padikkal might have to wait for his chance. Sai Sudharsan will need to capitalize on the opportunity when it comes.”

With India recording a thumping in the series-opening Test, all eyes are now on the second Test, which gets underway from October 10 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.