Mark Butcher slams Ravindra Jadeja’s bowling on 5th day of opening Test against England

Former England batter Mark Butcher criticized Ravindra Jadeja’s bowling performance on the fifth day of the opening Test against England at Leeds, Headingley. India suffered a five-wicket loss despite being in a dominant position on many occasions.

The experienced all-rounder could not utilise the rough outside the left-hander’s off-stump and he was taken to the cleaners by Ben Duckett, who played the reverse sweep with great success. The fact that Jadeja didn’t make the most of the rough despite having all the experience left Butcher by surprise.

Jadeja went wicketless in the first innings and could only pick a solitary wicket of Ben Stokes in the second essay. 

“I could not believe how poorly he bowled, really. I’d likened it to owning a hammer but punching nails in with your fist instead – not landing the ball in the rough at all until, basically, it was too late. That was extraordinary, really,” Butcher said on Wisden Cricket Weekly Podcast.

“You talk about experience, and he has all the experience in the world. Somehow, it didn’t seem to click to him or Rishabh Pant, the keeper, that it might be a good idea not to keep missing the rough all day to the left-handers,” he said of the Indian spinner.

Meanwhile, Jadeja has taken 28 wickets in 13 Test matches in English conditions, at a high average of 48.07, which is double his overall career average of 24.59.

Furthermore, Jadeja scored 11 runs in the first innings whereas he scored an unbeaten 25 in the second innings. Surprisingly, Jadeja dropped Ben Duckett’s catch when he was on 15 in the first essay.

The second Test match between India and England will be played at Edgbaston, Birmingham from July 2nd onwards.