Former India coach Ravi Shastri feels that Ravindra Jadeja's failure to complete the Lord's Test against England was not due to a lack of ability but due to a lack of faith in himself. As his unbeaten 61 in the second innings proved, India came up short by 22 runs in a thrilling conclusion.
Jadeja has been India's leading batman in the series thus far, scoring 337 runs, with four consecutive half-centuries to his name. Shastri believes, though, that the all-rounder has not yet fully supported his own ability.
"I sense Jadeja, if he gets 40 per cent of the faith that Ben Stokes has, he will win you a lot of games. Because there is no question about his ability," Shastri said while appearing on the Stick To Cricket podcast. "It's just that he will have to go and take control and believe in himself."
Shastri pointed to Jadeja’s domestic record—highlighted by three triple centuries in first-class cricket—as proof of his batting ability. But he added that Jadeja took time to truly realise what he could achieve with the bat.
“He has got three triple hundreds in first-class cricket. It took him ages to realise that he has that batting potential,” he noted.
Looking back at the just-concluded Lord's Test, Shastri also remembered a touching moment between the two marquee all-rounders towards the end of the match.
"One of the great moments of the series was at the end of the Lord's Test, when Stokes and Jadeja embraced each other. Two of the best all-rounders in business right now. Mutual respect in a close game," he said.
With England currently 2-1 up in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, the deciding fourth Test of the five-match series is due to start on Wednesday at Manchester's Old Trafford.
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