NEW DELHI: India may have fallen short by 22 runs in the third Test at Lord’s, but head coach Gautam Gambhir chose to spotlight one silver lining in the defeat – the steely resolve of Ravindra Jadeja, who nearly pulled off a miraculous win in a tense run chase.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!India, chasing 193 for victory, slumped to 112 for 8 before Jadeja, the World No.1 ranked all-rounder, produced a fighting unbeaten 61 off 181 balls. With only the tail for company, he added 35 runs for the ninth wicket with Jasprit Bumrah (5) and another 23 for the last wicket with Mohammed Siraj (4), dragging India to within touching distance.
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In the dressing room, Gambhir’s message to the team was clear: Jadeja’s effort was nothing short of inspirational.“That was an incredible fight. Fight from Jaddu, that was absolutely brilliant,” Gambhir said, lauding the left-hander’s grit under pressure.
Captain Shubman Gill echoed Gambhir’s admiration during the post-match press conference.“He is one of India’s most valuable players. The skill set that he brings with his bowling, batting and fielding – he is someone that is very rare and hard to find,” said Gill.“The way Jaddu bhai has batted, I think it’s a very proud effort. The experience that he brings in – it was just tremendous to watch. The character and courage that he showed was tremendous.”Jadeja’s fighting spirit also drew praise from teammates and support staff.“Jaddu bhai is extraordinary – in fielding, in bowling, and now in batting. He makes runs in every important situation for the team. It’s very difficult to find such a player,” said Mohammed Siraj.
Assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate highlighted Jadeja’s evolution as a batter.“His defence is rock solid now. Watching how he’s developed – the consistency and calmness in the last two Tests – he really looks like a proper batter.”Batting coach Sitanshu Kotak added, “He normally comes out with something the team needs in challenging conditions. He’s really, really valuable to the team.”With two Tests remaining, India trail the series 1-2 – but Jadeja’s Lord’s heroics may just be the spark they need for a comeback.
