Parthiv Patel has opened up about Ravindra Jadeja’s all-round brilliance ahead of the second Test between India and West Indies in Delhi. The former wicketkeeper-batsman labeled Jadeja as “India’s greatest all-rounder”, adding that he is “way ahead” of the likes of Ben Stokes, Pat Cummins and Shakib Al Hasan.
Jadeja in particular put in a Player of the Match performance in Ahmedabad, raising his sixth century in the format before scalping four wickets in the second innings as India destroyed their opponents with an innings victory by 140 runs.
“It has been brilliant to see how Jadeja has batted. A lot of that comes down to the responsibility he has embraced since being made vice-captain. Even before that, the Indian management showed confidence in him and encouraged him to take responsibility with the bat and be flexible in the order, whether it was at five, six or seven. When the dressing room trusts you that much, it changes your mindset.”
“Although 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 not stay out without giving away his wicket were key factors.”
“Jadeja is undoubtedly India’s greatest all-rounder. With almost 4,000 runs and nearly 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 world stage, he is currently the number one all-rounder, there is no debate about that. While names like Ben Stokes, Pat Cummins and Shakib Al Hasan come to the fore, Jadeja is way ahead. His exceptional consistency as both a bowler and batsman, in all conditions, sets him apart. It’s not just occasionally brilliant; It is sustained performances that cement his position as the best all-rounder in the world today.”
Parthiv also praised Kuldeep Yadav’s performance in the first Test, saying he looked in brilliant rhythm and gave nothing away to the West Indian batters.
“Kuldeep Yadav’s performance was impressive. The challenge is not always with the opponent. Sometimes it is about finding the rhythm again. From my experience with Kuldeep, I know that he prioritizes how the ball comes out of his hand. If that ball comes out well, it doesn’t matter whether it is a red or white ball. In this match, especially in the second innings against Roston Chase, his positioning was brilliant. Using three wrist spinners and mixing the Google show his setup was brilliant. he is in control of his bowling. There were hardly any single deliveries. That The level of consistency indicates that he has mastered his profession well.’
Parthiv further stated that the biggest positive for the team in the first encounter was the fact that their victory came on a balanced wicket and not on a rank turner, something that had become a trend in Tests in India in recent years.
“India’s biggest advantage from the first Test was that they weren’t playing on a rank turner, which we haven’t seen much of since the 2016 England series. It was refreshing to see a clinical all-round performance. Yes, the West Indies may 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 Indies bowlers challenged India early on with the new ball, but overall India showed that 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 felt it will be a “tough” decision as India has little time between the conclusion of the second Test and the start of the white-ball series against Australia. He thought India could play Jasprit Bumrah as he is not part of the ODI squad, while Mohammed Siraj, who will play the 50-over games Down Under, could be replaced by all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy.
“It’s a tough situation. Jasprit Bumrah is resting from the ODI series against Australia, but I expect him to feature in the second Test. Mohammad Siraj is going to Australia for the ODIs, so Nitish Kumar Reddy is likely to replace him there and may also be eligible for the South African series. For the second Test, I would like to see Nitish become more of a batsman and bowler deployed. On Day 3 of the final Test, he had a chance to bowl a few overs but didn’t get enough chances. That is something India could explore. As for Devdutt Padikkal, given the current batting line-up and Sai Sudharsan’s role at number three, Padikkal may have to wait for his opportunity. Sai Sudharsan will have to take advantage of the opportunity when it comes.”
With India registering a thumping in the opening Test of the series, all eyes are now on the second Test, which gets underway from October 10 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.
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