Ravindra Jadeja’s spirited effort at Lord’s wasn’t enough for a win, but he still hit a personal milestone, reaching 7,000 international runs. He joins other Indian players like Rishabh Pant, Sourav Ganguly, MS Dhoni, and Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi in the record books.
Jadeja showed his skill as a batter, scoring half-centuries at Lord’s. Team India fell short by 22 runs, missing what would have been a memorable win away from home and stopping Jadeja from doing his signature sword celebration.
In 361 international games, Jadeja has scored 7,018 runs, averaging 33.41, with four centuries and 39 fifties. His best score is 175. In 83 Tests, he has 3,697 runs at an average of 36.97, including four centuries and 26 fifties, with a high score of 175. This is his best format with the bat. In this series, he has scored 327 runs in six innings at an average of 109.00, making four fifties, with his best score being 89. He is currently the fifth-highest run-scorer in the series.
He now stands with Pant (five scores over fifty between 2021-25) and Ganguly (four scores over fifty in 2002) as the third player with four or more fifty-plus scores in England.
Besides Vinoo Mankad (72 and 184 back in 1952), he is the only Indian with fifty-plus scores in both innings at Lord’s.
He is now also on the list with MAK Pataudi (64 and 148 against England, Leeds in 1967 and 75 and 85 against Australia at Melbourne 1967), MS Dhoni (52 and 56* against New Zealand at Wellington in 2009 and 77 and 74* against England at Birmingham, 2011) to be amongst Indians to have multiple instances of twin fifty-plus scores in South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia (SENA) Tests while batting at number six or lower.
Jadeja passed VVS Laxman (28 fifty-plus scores), recording his 29th fifty-plus score batting at number six or below for India, the third-highest by an Indian with Kapil Dev (35) and MS Dhoni (38) above him.
England chose to bat first after winning the toss and reached 387, thanks to a 109-run partnership between Ollie Pope (44) and Joe Root (104), plus an 84-run partnership between Brydon Carse (56) and Jamie Smith (51). Jasprit Bumrah (5/74) stood out for India with the ball.
In the second innings, India lost Yashasvi Jaiswal early but recovered with a 61-run partnership between Karun Nair (26) and KL Rahul, and a 141-run partnership between KL Rahul (100) and Rishabh Pant (74). A solid half-century from Ravindra Jadeja (72) and contributions from Nitish Kumar Reddy (30) and Washington Sundar (23) helped India match England’s score at 387. Chris Woakes (3/84) was England’s best bowler in this innings.
During England’s second innings, India kept the pressure, except for a 67-run partnership between Root (40) and Stokes (33). Sundar (4/22) delivered a key spell, breaking through the middle order and dismissing England for 192. India needed 193 to win.
During the chase, Team India struggled at 82/7. Jadeja (61*) fought hard, forming partnerships with the lower-order batters, but Mohammed Siraj’s dismissal hurt as India was bowled out for 170.
India trails 1-2 in the series. Stokes was named ‘Player of the Match’ for his scores of 44 and 33 and his five wickets, including three in the second innings, along with Jofra Archer, who also took three wickets.