Debasis Sen from Manchester
India showcased resilience on Day 1 of the Old Trafford Test, ending at 264/4 in tricky conditions against a disciplined England seam attack and overcast skies. With Rishabh Pant (37* off 48) unlikely to resume his innings due to an injury, India is effectively five wickets down.
Despite a momentary lapse in focus that led to Shubman Gill’s dismissal and Pant’s injury-enforced retirement, the top order laid a solid foundation. Yashasvi Jaiswal scored 58, KL Rahul contributed 46, and Sai Sudharsan impressed with a composed 61. At stumps, Ravindra Jadeja and Shardul Thakur remain unbeaten on 19 each, with Jadeja holding the key to India’s prospects of building a competitive total.
Jadeja has been in superb touch throughout the series, amassing 346 runs in six innings at a staggering average of 115.33, including four fifties. His ability to anchor the innings, especially with the lower order, has been crucial. He will now need solid support from Shardul Thakur and Washington Sundar as India looks to push past the 350-mark.
Jadeja has shown time and again that he can manage the innings even when batting with the tail. He was left stranded on multiple occasions in this series, including in the second innings at Headingley when Shardul, Mohammed Siraj, and Jasprit Bumrah were dismissed in the same over. He and Prasidh Krishna managed to resist for 5.2 overs, during which Jadeja scored 15 off 21 balls.
His method when batting with the tail is calculated and patient: Defend the early part of the over, look to rotate the strike around the fourth or fifth ball, and try to minimise how many deliveries a lower-order batter would face. While this strategy is effective in preserving wickets, it can also reduce scoring momentum, allowing the opposition to take control. Ben Stokes exploited this at Lord’s by employing a spread field to stifle runs.
This conservative style was definitely on display in the fourth innings at Lord’s when India was tottering at 112/8 after Nitish Reddy’s dismissal, still needing 81 runs with only Bumrah and Siraj to follow. While some batters might have looked to counter-attack, Jadeja remained steady, sticking to his approach.
At 36, Jadeja exemplifies an old-school batting mindset — not flamboyant like Rishabh Pant or aggressive like Harry Brook or Ben Stokes — but immensely reliable. His strength lies in his ability to stay at the crease and grind out runs.
The only constant criticism of his batting is his occasional reluctance to shift gears when urgency is required, especially when batting with the tail. Nevertheless, Jadeja’s role on Day 2 will be pivotal in determining India’s position in this Test match.
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