Ravindra Jadeja took calculated risks & made sure the scoreboard kept moving: Varun Aaron

Former Indian seamer and analyst Varun Aaron has heaped praise on the Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja for playing an exceptional role with the willow on the second day of the ongoing Birmingham Test against England.

Jadeja, who was unbeaten on 41* at stumps on Day 1, went on to smack 89 runs in 137 balls with 10 fours and a six. He gave impressive support to Shubman Gill, who scored his career-best knock of 269 runs in 387 balls with 30 fours and three sixes.

While Jadeja came into bat at 211/5 at No. 7, Jadeja played an important role in India scoring 587 runs in 151 overs. In response, England scored 77 runs after losing three wickets at stumps on Day 2.

Speaking on JioHotstar, Aaron stated that Jadeja took calculated risks against the English spinner Shoaib Bashir, and the all-rounder made sure the scoreboard kept moving during his partnership with Gill.

“I thought Jaddu’s body language was brilliant. From ball one, he was looking to rotate strike, show intent, and stay mobile at the crease. He didn’t just try to grind it out ball after ball; he was actively looking to make things happen," Aaron said on JioHotstar.

“What stood out was how he approached Bashir. Normally, he’d play him cautiously, but today he took calculated risks, and that’s what mattered. He made sure the scoreboard kept moving. By the final session, India were scoring close to four runs an over, and that’s exactly where you want to be. As Ravindra Jadeja, when you're guiding the lower order, you want to be solid but also bring some aggression," he added.

Interestingly, Gill received a lot of flak for strengthening their batting unit instead of bringing in Kuldeep Yadav to the XI. However, Gill’s decision turned out to be positive as Indian tail put up a decent effort on Day 2.

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