Ravindra Jadeja is experiencing one of the best phases of his Test career, enjoying a stellar run with the bat while continuing to be a consistent force with the ball. Averaging over 80 in 2025, Jadeja recently capped off his dominant form by winning the Player of the Series award in the Test series against the West Indies.
He scored a crucial century in the series and also took eight wickets, underlining his all-round value to the Indian team. A major reason behind this upturn in form has been his promotion in the batting order. Now regularly batting at number six, Jadeja has found a new sense of purpose and clarity in his role, which he credits to head coach Gautam Gambhir.
Promotion in Batting Order Boosts Jadeja’s Confidence
After being handed a stable batting position, Jadeja acknowledged the impact it has had on his mindset.
“As Gauti bhai (Gambhir) said, I’m at number six now. So I’m thinking more as a proper batsman, and that works for me,” Jadeja said after receiving the Player of the Series trophy.
He reflected on his past experiences, saying, “For many years, I was batting at number eight or nine, so my mindset was very different. Now, I try to spend more time in the middle whenever I get a chance to bat.”
Jadeja emphasized that personal records aren’t his focus. Instead, he is driven by the desire to contribute in both departments. “To be honest, I don’t think too much about records. I just focus on contributing with both bat and ball to help my team win. If I don’t perform in both aspects, then it doesn’t reflect my value as a player,” he added.
Increased Bowling Responsibility After Ashwin’s Retirement
With the retirement of veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, Jadeja is also expected to take on a greater share of the bowling workload.
“I could get a chance to bowl more overs after Ashwin’s retirement,” he noted. “But all in all, we’ve been doing wonderful work as a team, in terms of both batting and bowling.”
Jadeja praised the team’s recent consistency, saying, “I think we know what brand of cricket we’ve been playing over the last five or six months. That’s a good sign for us, and we want to continue playing this way over a long period.”
As India continues to build a balanced and in-form Test side, Jadeja’s dual contributions make him an indispensable asset. With clarity in role and strong backing from the team management, the all-rounder is thriving—and his purple patch shows no signs of slowing down.
