The third ODI in Indore was a brutal reality check for the Indian bowling attack. As Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips smashed a massive 200-plus run partnership, propelling New Zealand to a daunting target of 338, one question loomed large: Where was the breakthrough? Ravindra Jadeja, once the captain's go-to man for control, was visibly ineffective.
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He bowled just six overs, leaking 41 runs and failing to take a single wicket. This wasn’t just a bad day at the office; it was the story of the entire series. Ravindra Jadeja went wicketless across all three matches, conceding 56 runs in Vadodara and 44 in Rajkot without a single success to show for it.
For years, Jadeja’s role has been to keep things tight and be economical. But as former legends Zaheer Khan and Ajinkya Rahane point out, that style might be expiring.
Zaheer Khan didn't mince words about Jadeja’s passive approach. “The ODI format has changed. You can’t just be a containing bowler in the middle overs,” Khan explained on Cricbuzz. He emphasised that the middle phase is now an attacking battleground. “Everyone sees that phase as an opportunity to shift momentum, so you can’t just contain; you must also be aggressive and take wickets. Ravindra Jadeja needs to focus on that aspect of his game in ODIs.”
The criticism didn't stop there. Ajinkya Rahane highlighted a technical issue: predictability. With batters like Mitchell and Phillips comfortably playing him, Rahane noted that Ravindra Jadeja lacks the variations of his peers.
“In ODIs, you must have variations. Though Jadeja is a proven performer across conditions, he bowls at a similar pace and can become predictable,” Rahane said. He even drew a sharp comparison to Jadeja's direct competitor. “With Axar [Patel], he has variations; he changes his pace and uses angles at the crease really well. So there is healthy competition, and I am sure Jadeja understands this, as he knows his game well.”
Rahane’s warning was clear: adapt or perish. “Jadeja likes to keep his game simple with the ball. But you have to evolve based on conditions... On a flat wicket, he’ll have to adjust and devise different plans, using angles better.”
With 0 wickets in the series and legends questioning his utility, the pressure is mounting on Ravindra Jadeja to prove he can be more than just a "container" in modern cricket.
