Is Ravindra Jadeja greatest visiting lower-order batter in England (Tests)?
What's the story
Ravindra Jadeja, one of India's most dependable players, is a name every team wants on their roster. His contributions span across batting, bowling, and fielding. It is his brilliance with that bat that has garnered headlines in India's ongoing away Test series against England. Though India trail 1-2 after three games, Jadeja has been superb with the bat. His numbers indeed make him one of the best visiting lower-order batters to play Tests in England. Here are his numbers.
Stats
Four fifties in the ongoing series
Jadeja has been on a roll in this series as his scores read: 11, 25*, 89, 69*, 72, and 61*. These scores have taken his series tally to 327 runs at a stellar average of 109. As per ESPNcricinfo, Jadeja breached the 300-run mark for the first time in a Test series. Interestingly, his second-best batting returns in a Test series also came in England (287 at 31.88 in 2021-22).
DYK
Four fifties on a trot
All his four fifties in the ongoing Test series have come in back-to-back innings. The southpaw thus joined Rishabh Pant (5) and Sourav Ganguly (4) as Indians with four consecutive fifty-plus Test scores in England. Jadeja hasn't managed even three 50-plus scores in any other Test series. Meanwhile, the 61* at Lord's was his maiden half-century in the fourth innings of a Test.
DYK
Jadeja only behind Sobers
Overall on England soil, Jadeja has raced to 969 runs across 15 Tests at an average of 38.76. The tally includes eight 50-plus scores, including a hundred as well. 942 of his runs have come while batting at six or lower. West Indies great Gary Sobers (1,097) is the only visiting batter with more Test runs in England in these positions.
Stats
Eight 50-plus scores in England
Each of Jadeja's eight 50-plus Test scores in England has come while batting at six or lower. Only Sobers (9) has more 50-plus Test scores among visiting batters in this regard, as Jadeja shares the second spot with his compatriot MS Dhoni. Meanwhile, Jadeja also owns the joint-most 50-plus Test scores while batting at seven or lower by a visiting batter in the UK (6). He shares the top spot with Australia's Rod Marsh.
Partnership record
Jadeja boasts this partnership feat
Team India owns two 200-plus partnerships in Tests at Edgbaston and Jadeja has been a part of both. Besides adding 203 runs with Shubman Gill in the second Test of the ongoing series, the southpaw added 222 runs alongside Rishabh Pant at this venue in 2022. The 204-run stand between Pant and KL Rahul in the 2018 Oval game is India's only other 200-plus stand for the sixth wicket or lower on England soil (Tests).
Information
30 wickets with the ball
With the ball, Jadeja has taken 30 Test wickets in England at a higher average of 50.16. Sobers (1,820 runs and 62 wickets) is the only other visiting all-rounder with the Test double of 900 runs and 30 wickets in England.