Veteran India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja had a series to remember against England. Though he wasn't able to cause much damage with the ball, his performances with the bat were nothing less than exceptional. The 36-year-old was the most experienced player in India's squad for the series and showcased this through his batting sensational batting displays. Jadeja finished the series with 516 runs in 10 innings, including 5 fifties and a century.
The left-hander proved that he is still quite an important member of the team by playing some highly-important knocks in the five-match series including his unbeaten hundred in the fourth Test at Old Trafford. Him alongside Washington Sundar quite literally saved that match for the Men in Blue, who were at once staring an innings defeat.
Jadeja remained consistent with the bat throughout the series
Former India cricketer heaped praise on the veteran, claiming that he was even more consistent than Shubman Gill in the series, despite the India captain being the top run-getter, scoring 754 runs in the five-match assignment.
"Is anything required to be said? The man has shown you what he can do. I think outstanding. Shubman Gill has scored 754 runs, and you are saying that he has reached close to the best. He (Ravindra Jadeja) has scored nearly 550 runs," Ajay said on Sony Sports.
"He has been more consistent than even Shubman Gill. He had four innings that didn't end, because the batting ended from the other end. In the entire series, there were only two innings where he got out early," he added.
Ajay pointed out Jadeja's form started to get better in the third match of the England series which was held at Lord's. Despite the Men in Blue ending up on the losing side, Jadeja and the tail-enders took the match down to the wire by frustrating England bowlers for almost the entirety of Day 5. Jadeja's unbeaten knock of 61 runs from 181 deliveries went in vain as the hosts managed to take the visitors' final wicket during the third session and clinch victory by a slim 22-run margin.
"If we try to remember his moments, it started with Lord's, where you couldn't win for sure, but he and (Mohammed) Siraj fought there. A change was seen there. The fortitude started from there. Then he kept standing in the next match and drew the match. Then he scored runs in this match (last Test) as well," Ajay stated.
Meanwhile, India recorded a thrilling 6-run victory in the fifth and final Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy to draw the series at 2-2. The visitors quite literally snatched victory from the hosts, who required just 35 runs to win on the final day and still had four wickets in hand. However, a fantastic bowling display from Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna saw the Three Lions lose their remaining wickets cheaply and end up falling six runs behind the 374-run target. This stunning victory will definitely be remembered by Indian fans for many years to come.