Ravindra Jadeja, a no-brainer

India’s Ravindra Jadeja during a practice session ahead of the second Test against South Africa in Centurion on Saturday. Pic/PTI

Such is the effortlessness with which he carries himself on the field that it's hard to reconcile to the fact that Ravindra Jadeja is 35 years old, that he has been playing international cricket for nearly 15 years, or that he can also sometimes pick up injuries.

A shoo-in for the lone spinner's slot for the first Test against South Africa, Jadeja was ruled out of contention after contracting upper back spasms on Tuesday morning, the first day of the game. It won't be an exaggeration to say that India missed Jadeja's energy in the field and his intelligence and situational awareness with the bat. His replacement, R Ashwin, had a competent outing with the ball (one for 41 from 19 overs) but hardly contributed as a batsman, being dismissed for eight and a first-ball duck respectively.

Having operated in the shadow of his more illustrious, celebrated and cerebral spin colleague, Jadeja has made himself indispensable over the last few years, the all-round package he provides making him a more attractive proposition overseas, whenever India play only one tweaker, than Ashwin. Jadeja has seldom disappointed - he only played three Tests in 2022 but made 175 not out against Sri Lanka in Mohali and 104 against England in Birmingham, apart from picking up 10 wickets and has carried that form to 2023, with two half-centuries and 33 wickets in seven Tests, three of them overseas.

Over to Cape Town

It appears now as if India will be able to requisition his services for the second Test starting in Cape Town on Wednesday, a game they must win if they are to leave these shores with honours shared. At Saturday morning's optional training session at SuperSport Park, Jadeja took full part in the nets, bowling his left-arm
spin without discomfort for a long stretch before returning to bat for more than a quarter of an hour.

Also Read: Ravindra Jadeja: What makes 'Jaddu' one of modern era's most elite all-rounders

That 6 for 138

Jadeja has only played one Test in South Africa previously, on the 2013 tour when he took six for 138 in the hosts' 500 all out in Durban. In the last decade since, he has come on immensely as a cricketer; deadly on responsive tracks but wily enough to court success even otherwise, his evolution as an all-round, all-format cricketer has been pivotal to India's climb up the charts in all three international variants. It will be naive and simplistic to announce that Jadeja's imminent return will comprehensively change India's fortunes at Newlands, but Rohit Sharma will be delighted that he can call on Jadeja's versatility for the second Test, all other things being equal.

Jadeja v Ashwin is a luxury few teams in world cricket enjoy. To have to pick one between these two outstanding all-rounders can't be an easy task for Rohit and the think-tank. If only Cape Town offered the slightest help for spinners. If only wishes were horses…

2
No. of half-centuries Ravindra Jadeja has scored in nine innings in 2023

33
No. of wickets Ravindra Jadeja has picked in seven Tests in 2023