'Earlier, his mindset was a little more defensive, but now he is delivering every ball with the purpose of taking a wicket'
Key Points
- Cheteshwar Pujara highlights Ravindra Jadeja's shift from a defensive to a wicket-taking mindset in red-ball cricket.
- Jadeja's new approach, focusing on dismissing batters with every ball, is seen as crucial for India's success in the upcoming Sri Lanka Test series.
- The veteran spinner is returning to the Indian team after a six-month break, having last played a Test in November last year.
Batting great Cheteshwar Pujara believes veteran spinner Ravindra Jadeja's recent shift in mindset in red-ball cricket could make him a vital player for India during the upcoming two-Test series in Sri Lanka.
Pujara pointed out that in recent years Jadeja has been bowling every ball with the purpose of taking a wicket unlike in the past when he looked to bowl defensive and keep things tight.
Jadeja's Evolving Approach
"Earlier, when Ravindra Jadeja used to bowl, his mindset was not to give away too many runs, especially in red-ball cricket. If there was a little help in the wicket, then he would try to take wickets. But if the wicket was not conducive to bowlers, his focus was on restricting the runs. But now, he has understood his own strengths and is bowling accordingly," Pujara told JioStar.
Jadeja, the senior most player in India's squad in Sri Lanka, is back in the Indian team after nearly six months after being rested for the one-off Test against Afghanistan in June.
His last competitive match was in IPL 2026 in May. He last played for India in the ODI series against New Zealand in January, while his last Test match was against South Africa in Guwahati in November last year, when he picked up six wickets and scored a half-century.
Impressive Record Against Sri Lanka
Jadeja, 37, has done well with the bat against Sri Lanka in Tests, scoring 326 runs in seven matches averaging 65, including a career-best of 175 not out. With the ball, he has picked up 33 wickets at an average of 24 against Sri Lanka in Tests. He has played two Tests in Sri Lanka where he bagged 13 wickets in total.
Jadeja is part of the four-man spin attack for India in Sri Lanka along with Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar and Saransh Jain.
The left-arm spinner has been one of India's premier all-rounders in Test cricket, with 348 wickets in 89 Tests at an average of 25.11, including 15 five-wicket hauls, while scoring 4095 runs at an average of 38.27, with six centuries and 28 fifties.
Jadeja's Mental Shift
"In every game, he is trying to land the ball in the line of the stumps and get the batter out. Earlier, his mindset was a little more defensive, but now he is delivering every ball with the purpose of taking a wicket," added Pujara.
"So, you think a little more about your game. You use the crease a little better, try to go wider, and adjust your length according to the batter. That mental shift is very important for the game."
