Former Indian skipper Sunil Gavaskar reckons Ravindra Jadeja could be the best cricketer currently given what the latter offers in terms of his all-round ability. Ravindra Jadeja has performed brilliantly in the ongoing first Test of the five-match series between India and England which is being played at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad.

Ravindra Jadeja’s knock of 87 from 180 balls against England in the ongoing Test has again proved how invaluable he has been to the Indian team in Tests, especially since 2019. Sunil Gavaskar highlighted just how much value the all-rounder adds across all three departments, along with his sense of humor in the dressing room. Ravindra Jadeja is currently the No.1 Test all-rounder in the ICC rankings and also stands sixth in the ICC bowlers’ ranking in Test.

Here’s what Sunil Gavaskar said on air about Ravindra Jadeja, “Jadeja is probably the best cricketer in the world with the contribution he makes with bat, ball and in the field. He adds so much value to the team and by all accounts he is an absolute delight in the changing room as well.”

Ravindra Jadeja encountered an unlucky dismissal as he was adjudged LBW by the on-field umpire and then the third umpire, despite there being enough ambiguity to suggest that the ball might have taken an edge off his bat before hitting his pad. The hosts only added 15 runs to their overnight score as they were bowled out for 436 in their first innings. Joe Root showed his potential as an off-spinner taking figures of 4/79 and ensuring that Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel did not get a good start on Day 3.

Ravindra Jadeja Is One Of The Contenders For The Player Of The Match In The First Test

Ravindra Jadeja took three wickets in the first innings and created a record for India as he and Ravichandran Ashwin surpassed Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh to become the most successful pair in terms of wickets. Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja have taken 508 wickets as of now as a pair which is the highest by any Indian pair. Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble recorded 501 wickets as a pair.

The No.1 Test all-rounder showed his batting prowess as he smashed his 20th Test half-century scoring 87 off 180 balls. His innings included seven fours and two sixes and he was resilient with the bat to take India past the 400-run mark. In bowling, he took the wickets of Ollie Pope, Joe Root, and Tom Hartley in the first innings whereas he has taken the wicket of Jonny Bairstow in the second innings.

India is hosting England in a five-match Test series and the first match is going on in Hyderabad. The other four games will be played in Vishakhapatnam, Rajkot, Ranchi, and Dharamsala respectively. The hosts have a great record in the subcontinent and they have not tasted defeat in home conditions for more than a decade. India was last defeated in a home Test series by England in 2012 when the visitors won the four-match series by 2-1