Steely Jadeja completes 7,000 international runs, joins Ganguly, Dhoni, Pant

London [UK], July 14 (ANI): All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja's lone-warrior effort at Lord's did go in vain, but nonetheless, he registered his name in the record books as he completed 7,000 international runs and joined players like Rishabh Pant, Sourav Ganguly, MS Dhoni and Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi in record books.
Jadeja continued to prove his worth as a specialist batter, with another set of twin centuries at the 'Home of Cricket'. But Jadeja never really got to pull off his trademark sword celebration as Team India fell 22 runs short of what would have been one of India's best wins away from home.
The veteran all-rounder completed his 7,000 international runs. In 361 international appearances, Jadeja has scored 7,018 runs at an average of 33.41, with four centuries and 39 fifties in 302 innings and a best score of 175*.
In 83 Tests, he has scored 3,697 runs at an average of 36.97, with four centuries and 26 fifties, with his best score being 175*. This is his most successful format with the bat. In three matches during this series, he has made 327 runs in six innings at an average of 109.00, with four fifties. His best score is 89. He is the fifth-highest run-getter in the series so far.
He has joined the elite company of Pant (five fifty-plus scores between 2021-25) and Ganguly (four fifty-plus scores in 2002) as the third player with four or more successive fifty-plus scores in England.
Besides the legendary Vinoo Mankad (72 and 184 back in 1952), he is the only Indian with fifty-plus scores in both innings at Lord's.
He has also joined 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 also overtook legendary VVS Laxman (28 fifty-plus scores), registering his 29th fifty-plus score batting at number six or below for India, third-highest by an Indian with Kapil Dev (35) and MS Dhoni (38) above him.
England won the toss and opted to bat first. England was reduced to 44/2, but a 109-run stand between Ollie Pope (44 in 104 balls, with four boundaries) and Joe Root (104 in 199 balls, with 10 fours) and a counter-attacking 84 run stand for the eighth wicket stand between Brydon Carse (56 in 83 balls, with six fours and a six) and Jamie Smith (51 in 56 balls, with six fours) took England to 387.
Jasprit Bumrah (5/74) was the highlight for India with the ball.
In the second innings, India lost Yashasvi Jaiswal early, but a 61-run stand between Karun Nair (26 in 46 balls, with five fours) and KL Rahul and a 141-run stand between KL (100 in 177 balls, with 13 fours) and Rishabh Pant (74 in 112 balls, with eight fours and two sixes) took India close to England's score.
A brilliant half-century from Ravindra Jadeja (72 in 131 balls, with eight fours and a six) and lower-order contributions from Nitish Kumar Reddy (30) and Washington Sundar (23) took India to 387, with nothing separating the sides.
Chris Woakes (3/84) was the top bowler for England in this innings.
In England's second innings, India continuously kept England under pressure, except for a 67-run fifth wicket stand between Root (40 in 96 balls, with a four) and Stokes (33 in 96 balls, with three fours). Sundar (4/22) delivered a game-changer spell, running through the middle-order and bundling out England for 192. India was set 193 to win.
During the run-chase, Team India was reduced to 82/7. However, Jadeja (61* in 181 balls, with four boundaries and a six) was not in a mood to give up. He put up resilient partnerships with the lower-order batters that put England under tension, but Mohammed Siraj's unlucky dismissal, where the ball spun back to the stumps following its landing on the pitch hurt a million of hearts as India was bundled out for 170.
India trails 1-2 in the series. Stokes won the 'Player of the Match' for his handy knocks of 44 and 33 and total of five wickets in the match, including a three-wicket haul taken in the second innings taken in tandem with Jofra Archer, who also got three wickets. (ANI)