Former England spinner Graeme Swann on Monday, July 4 said that he is disappointed with the way India used Ravindra Jadeja on the fourth day’s pitch, while defending 378 runs in the rescheduled 5th Test against England. Swann questioned Jadeja’s approach of bowling from the overstump to the right-handers, saying it was a defensive approach and not something a lead spinner would do in the fourth innings of a Test match.
India were bundled out for 245 in their second innings but set a challenging 378-run target for England, who are 1-2 in the series. England put up an opening partnership of 107 runs between Alex Lees and Zak Crowley. India bounced back with 3 quick wickets including Lee and Crawley, but England shared an unbeaten 152-run stand with Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow.
England vs India, 5th Test Day 4: report , Highlight
At stumps, England scored 259 for 3 in just 57 overs, needing just 119 for a record-breaking victory in the final Test at Edgbaston in Birmingham.
India, who picked Ravindra Jadeja over R Ashwin for the fifth time in a row in England, brought a left-arm spinner into the attack in the 9th over of the innings, but he bowled right-handers over the wicket.
Jadeja bowled 15 overs and conceded 53 runs without taking a wicket. The left-arm spinner aimed for a rough patch outside the leg-stump but didn’t get enough help.
“Where I think India missed a trick, Jadeja is bowling over the wicket. Ravindra is such a good bowler, he doesn’t need to bowl on the wicket. 100 for 3, chasing 370. One There are moments in the innings where you have to be ruthless, and identify your time to go into the opposition,” Swann told Sony Sports.
“Most of the runs scored against him were behind the wickets, which tells me he didn’t bowl straight to him. Jonny Bairstow took him to the leg side with ease,” he said.
‘I refused to do so’
Swann said that he did not like bowling over-the-wicket to right-handers and refused to do so when asked to target the leg-stump line during his illustrious career.
The former England off-spinner said that the main spinner should look to win the match in the fourth innings and not bowl over the defensive line.
“As a spin bowler, you never made me understand that the best way is to bowl outside a batsman’s leg-stump. I hated it when I was asked to do it. I refused it most of the time .
“Your job in the fourth innings, as a spinner, is to win games for the team. That’s what you’re expected to do, or at least take 2-3 wickets, pile on pressure from one end. You don’t You can do this, bowling without catchers. You are not a wicket taker. I want to see India go around the wicket.
He said, “I know the pitch is not doing much, but it is world class, it has got 200 Test wickets. That’s how you win a match for India. You force the batsmen to play big shots. Huh.”
Jadeja displayed his superior batting skills as he hit a century in the first innings after a 222-run counter-attack partnership, but the left-arm spinner is yet to make an impact with the bat. a