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Ravindra Jadeja's lack of trust in tail cost India Lord's Test: World Cup winner

Ravindra Jadeja's lack of trust in tail cost India Lord's Test: World Cup winner

India Today18-07-2025
1983 World Cup winner Balwinder Singh Sandhu has raised questions over Ravindra Jadeja's decision-making in the concluding moments of India's tense run chase at Lord's. The veteran pacer suggested that a lack of trust by the all-rounder with the tail cost the visitors the third Test. Chasing 193 against England in the third Test match, India fell just 22 runs short, helping England take a 2-1 lead in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.advertisementFrom 112 for 8 at lunch on the final day, India's chances looked dim. But the No.1 ranked all-rounder Jadeja held firm, stitching brave lower-order stands with Bumrah and later Mohammed Siraj. His unbeaten 61 off 181 balls gave India hope as they edged closer to the target. However, a key moment towards the end of the innings has become the centre of post-match discussion.Sandhu felt that Jadeja may have had the fear of failing or pressure of not trusting the tail got the better of the all-rounder in the chase.
'Coming to the final moments, Ravindra Jadeja is someone I've known since his U-19 days at the National Cricket Academy. Even back then, he showed maturity beyond his age. He's a smart cricketer, calm under pressure, but this time, maybe the fear of failing, or the pressure of not trusting the tail, got the better of him,' Sandhu wrote in his column for Mid-Day.'If only Jadeja had trusted Bumrah a bit more'The 68-year-old further explained how the left-hander might have missed a golden opportunity by not backing Bumrah.'If only he had trusted Jasprit Bumrah a bit more, especially when Bumrah was defending so well, and resisted taking that single off the fourth ball to retain strike. Had he backed himself to finish it in those last two balls, with the field up, it was a perfect moment to go for the boundary,' said Sandhu. Jadeja's approach during the run-chase has divided opinion amongst fans and pundits as Anil Kumble felt that the all-rounder should have taken more risks in the end. India captain Shubman Gill and Sunil Gavaskar defended the approach from Jadeja and felt it was the right way to go about the chase. - EndsTune InMust Watch
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