Border Gavaskar Trophy: Sanjay Manjrekar once again goes after Ravindra Jadeja

Ravindra Jadeja showcased grit and determination on Day 3 of the ongoing Boxing Day Test between India and Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Saturday, December 28. Facing a disciplined Australian bowling attack, the all-rounder worked hard to settle himself at the crease. However, his resistance was brought to an end by an exceptional delivery from Nathan Lyon, displaying the veteran spinner’s class and precision. In the 65th over of India’s innings, Lyon, bowling from around the wicket, delivered a ball that came in sharply with the arm. Jadeja, anticipating turn away from him, misjudged the trajectory of the delivery, which skidded unexpectedly. The Indian batter was caught in no man's land, unable to adjust to the ball’s movement, and it struck him on the back leg. The appeal from the Australians was loud and confident, and the umpire wasted no time raising his finger.

Believing the ball might have missed the stumps, Jadeja opted for the Decision Review System (DRS) to challenge the on-field decision. However, the replays showed the delivery clipping the stumps, leading to an umpire’s call, and Jadeja had to make the long walk back to the pavilion. His dismissal was a testament to Lyon’s skill in exploiting the pitch conditions, and it marked a crucial breakthrough for Australia as they aimed to keep India’s middle order in check.

This wasn’t the first time Nathan Lyon had troubled Ravindra Jadeja with his skillful spin. Throughout the innings, Jadeja had appeared uneasy against the Australian spinner, and his eventual dismissal seemed inevitable. Despite looking solid against the pace attack, Jadeja struggled to read Lyon’s variations, and the delivery that dismissed him highlighted his discomfort against spin. Jadeja’s innings ended at 17 runs off 51 balls, a knock that was curtailed by Lyon’s brilliance.

Cricketer-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar observed that Jadeja had looked more comfortable facing the fast bowlers. He praised Jadeja for handling the pacers with relative ease, but also pointed out a glaring weakness in his game—his vulnerability to spin bowling. Manjrekar suggested that Jadeja, who is known for his resilience and adaptability, needs to improve his batting technique against spinners to become a more well-rounded player. The dismissal against Lyon highlighted the areas of improvement for Jadeja, who will need to address these challenges if he is to succeed in the ongoing Test series and beyond.

"He played the fast bowlers a lot and played them very well. He didn't make even a slight mistake against the fast bowlers. However, once Nathan Lyon came, he was expecting off-spin, that the ball would turn. His bat came for the off-spin and the ball was not turning at all. So he played with that mindset," stated Sanjay Manjrekar in a recent interview. 

"It seems like Jadeja needs to practice a little more against spin because he is looking absolutely comfortable against seam. He used to play very well against spin earlier but it happens that when you play overseas, you start playing fast bowling well and your focus is slightly removed from spin. If only fast bowlers had been there, Jadeja would have played a big knock," he added.