'I could not believe how poorly he bowled': Mark Butcher brutally slams Ravindra Jadeja for sloppy bowling in Headingley Test

India's star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja couldn't leave an impact in the first Test against England at Headingley, Leeds which his team lost by five wickets. Despite India's commanding position with a 371-run target to defend, Jadeja, the sole spinner in the playing XI at Headingley, couldn't pose any challenge for England batters. He went wicketless in the first innings and managed to take only one wicket in the second. The left-arm spinner's tactics came under scrutiny, particularly his apparent failure to effectively utilise the rough patches on the final day when wickets were crucial for India's defense. While he did manage to take the important wicket of Ben Stokes, his bowling for the majority of the innings was considered ordinary. The English batters were seen reverse sweep against him with an ease, further highlighting his inability to consistently land the ball in the rough.

Mark Butcher disappointed with Ravindra Jadeja's poor bowling in first Test

Adding to the criticism, former England cricketer Mark Butcher openly voiced his disapproval of Jadeja's bowling strategy. Butcher specifically pointed out Jadeja's failure to exploit the rough effectively, which he believed allowed England to gain control and ultimately win the match.

“I could not believe how poorly he bowled, really. I'd likened it to owning a hammer but punching nails in with your fist instead – not landing the ball in the rough at all until, basically, it was too late. That was extraordinary, really," Butcher said on Wisden Cricket Weekly Podcast.

Butcher specifically criticised Jadeja's experience, suggesting that a senior player like him should have recognised and capitalised on the rough patches created on the pitch, particularly when bowling to left-handed batsmen. This oversight, according to Butcher, played a significant role in allowing England's batsmen to dictate terms.

"You talk about experience, and he has all the experience in the world. Somehow, it didn't seem to click to him or Rishabh Pant, the keeper, that it might be a good idea not to keep missing the rough all day to the left-handers," Butcher added.

Meanwhile, England successfully chased down the challenging target of 371 runs on the final day of the Test match. Their victory was spearheaded by a brilliant innings of 149 from Ben Duckett, supported by valuable contributions from Zak Crawley, Joe Root, and Jamie Smith. The hosts reached the target in just 82 overs, finishing at 373 for the loss of five wickets and securing a five-wicket victory in the process.

With this result, India now find themselves trailing 0-1 in the five-match Test series. As the teams prepare for the second Test which is set to start from July 2, all eyes will be on Ravindra Jadeja to see if he can learn from his performance in the first match and deliver a more impactful contribution with the ball.