NEW DELHI: Amid sharp criticism from former Indian cricketing legends over Ravindra Jadeja’s cautious approach during the final day of the Lord’s Test, veteran batter Cheteshwar Pujara has come out in strong support of the all-rounder, calling his unbeaten knock of 61 off 181 balls a “valiant effort under testing conditions.”
Despite Jadeja’s gritty resistance, India fell short by 22 runs, handing England a 2-1 lead in the five-match series. While his effort earned praise from England players and fans alike, some Indian legends — including Anil Kumble, Sunil Gavaskar, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Sourav Ganguly — questioned Jadeja’s lack of attacking intent, especially during the final overs against spinner Shoaib Bashir.
But Pujara, India’s most dependable Test batter in recent years and a close observer of Jadeja’s game, offered a measured rebuttal.
“He couldn’t have scored faster on that track,” Pujara told The Indian Express. “The ball was soft, the pitch was slow, and scoring boundaries wasn’t easy. Jadeja probably felt the tailenders were supporting well and that he could take a few chances once India got closer to the target. I thought he was batting smartly in those conditions.”
Pujara acknowledged that Jadeja may have missed a few scoring opportunities—particularly in the region between mid-off and cover—but said that was a minor detail compared to the difficult nature of the surface. “The only thing he could have done better was look for singles or boundaries down the ground. But even that wasn’t easy with a soft ball on a slow pitch.”
One of Jadeja’s strategic choices was to shield the tailenders — Bumrah and Siraj — by taking singles late in the over. While some critics felt this approach slowed India’s chase, Pujara praised Jadeja’s match awareness and pointed to his noticeable growth as a Test batter.
“He has improved immensely over the last five years, especially overseas,” said Pujara, who has shared the Saurashtra dressing room with Jadeja in domestic cricket. “He works hard on his game. Even on match days, he’s out there practicing in the nets. Earlier, he struggled to convert starts into big innings at the international level. That has changed.”
Highlighting Jadeja’s evolution, Pujara added, “One doesn’t score a triple century in first-class cricket without serious skill. The challenge is always in converting those skills to the international stage — and Jadeja has done that.”
Pujara also praised Jadeja’s improved batting against pace, particularly in overseas conditions, which was once considered a weakness. “He used to be dominant against spin, but not so much against seam. That’s no longer the case — he’s now playing both with confidence, even in English conditions.”
While the debate continues over how India could have approached the final innings differently, Pujara’s defense of Jadeja brings a much-needed perspective on the challenges batters face in difficult fourth-innings chases. As the series now heads to Manchester for the fourth Test starting July 23, the spotlight will remain firmly on how India responds — both tactically and mentally — to England’s relentless fight.
