Jadeja's Early Practice Rewarded with Strong Gill Partnership

Ravindra Jadeja demonstrated true dedication to the team by turning up early on the second day of the Test match at Edgbaston. He wished to carry out some additional batting practice prior to the start of play because he was aware of the significance of dealing with the new second ball cautiously. The pitch remained good to bat on but the ball was just five overs old and it could swing or bounce on English conditions. Jadeja wished to bat a couple of additional balls before the day began so he could acclimatize himself to the wicket. He believed that if he could get used to the new ball early enough the rest of the innings would be a piece of cake for the team.

His added effort yielded fruit as he combined with Indian captain Shubman Gill to share a solid 203-run partnership. Their overnight total was 310 for 5 and both of them batted sensibly during the morning session. Jadeja scored a good knock of 89 runs from 137 balls before being dismissed short of his fifth century in Tests by just 11 runs. Although he was upset at not reaching the milestone he was satisfied with how much he had contributed to India's innings. He had been in a troubled spot in the last Test match at Headingley where he was forced to bat with the lower order in both innings and was unable to contribute much. But at Edgbaston the opportunity to bat with a settled Gill provided him with the ideal platform to demonstrate his batting prowess.

Jadeja justified that batting in England is never simple. Even when a batter appears settled any ball can go suddenly in a different direction and create trouble. That's why batting long and remaining focused is so crucial. He stated that while he was batting along with Gill their sole intention was to form a long partnership. They constantly chatted with each other and inspired one another to continue. This level of communication and encouragement kept them concentrated and played a responsible innings which took India to a huge total of 587 runs. Jadeja mentioned that adding with the bat particularly when abroad always boosts his confidence and happiness.

Throughout the partnership there was a minor controversy on the field where England skipper Ben Stokes complained to the umpires. He mentioned that Jadeja was making runs towards the danger zone of the pitch after having some front-foot shots. The danger zone is an area of the pitch used by bowlers and running on it can lead to rough patches that assist spinners in the second half of the match. Jadeja replied that he had no such plan and that he may have stepped on that area a couple of times by mistake but not on purpose. He also pointed out the fact that the fast bowlers were already making rough spots automatically and he did not have to do something extra.

One interesting part of the story is that Jadeja traveled to the ground independently instead of with the team. According to the BCCI’s Standard Operating Procedures players are expected to travel together to maintain team discipline and unity. However exceptions are allowed if they are approved in advance by the head coach and the chairman of selectors. So although Jadeja may have appeared to have violated a rule he probably had the requisite permission to do so. He just wanted some additional batting time and took matters into his own hands and turned up early to set himself up better for the game.

As India looks forward to the rest of the days of the Test match their bowlers with two spinners among them will have to try hard to get a result. Until now the Edgbaston pitch has not given much turn or bounce and batting has been easy. Jadeja said the bowlers will have to bowl tight lines and employ clever field placements in order to restrict run flows. He added that the wicket could turn from Day 3 onwards with some likely uneven bounce which would assist the bowlers towards the latter part of the match.

Overall Jadeja's game at Edgbaston reflects his maturity and experience. He took it upon himself to prepare well aware that there was a threat of early movement with the new ball. His association with Gill turned the match in India's direction and allowed them to put up a healthy total on the board. His unwavering concentration on forging alliances remaining in command and adapting to the circumstances says much about how much he has evolved as a cricketer. Though he fell just short of his hundred his contribution was imperative for India's dominant run in the match.

The match again pointed towards how minute choices such as reporting early to practice or speaking endlessly amid a partnership could prove a substantial factor. Jadeja's commitment and ability to play in difficult conditions were instrumental for India's victory. The team will now have to bank on its bowlers for making the best of what assistance the pitch can provide during the last couple of days. With the game still alive India will wish that their bowlers would be able to crack the English batting order and convert the advantage into a strong victory.