Why is Anil Kumble critical of Ravindra Jadeja despite his brilliant knock?

Ravindra Jadeja’s unbeaten 61 at Lord’s in the third Test against England nearly scripted one of the most memorable comebacks in recent Test history. Coming in during the sixth over of the day, Jadeja displayed exceptional composure, battling through pressure and wickets falling around him. From 82 for 7, India clawed their way to 170, falling short by just 23 runs in a gripping contest. Yet, former India captain Anil Kumble believes that the left-hander missed a crucial tactical opportunity, which might have cost India the match. 

 

While lauding Jadeja’s valiant effort, Kumble felt the decision to expose tailender Mohammed Siraj to Shoaib Bashir for a full over was avoidable. He said it reminded him of a painful personal memory from his playing days.

Memories of Chennai 1999 resurface

Watching Siraj’s dismissal triggered flashbacks for Kumble, who recalled India’s 12-run loss to Pakistan in Chennai back in 1999. In that match, India fell agonisingly short despite Sachin Tendulkar’s heroic 136. Just like Siraj, Javagal Srinath had been bowled by an off-spinner — Saqlain Mushtaq then, Bashir now — while trying to support a set batter at the other end.

 

Kumble noted that Jadeja had meticulously farmed the strike throughout the innings, but questioned the logic behind letting Siraj face three deliveries from Bashir when only 23 were needed.

A missed chance to take on the spinners

According to Kumble, Jadeja should have assessed the situation and taken more calculated risks against England’s slower bowlers, particularly Chris Woakes, Joe Root and Bashir. He felt that even though they were off-spinners, the pitch wasn’t offering sharp turn, and Jadeja had the skill to target them.

 

“If someone had to take a risk and get out, it should have been Jadeja, not Siraj,” Kumble opined, adding that allowing a full over to Bashir at such a stage was a misstep. 

Praise tempered with criticism

Despite his critique, Kumble hailed Jadeja’s knock as remarkable, especially considering the batting collapse earlier. He called the innings “incredible”, emphasising how Jadeja almost pulled off a miracle single-handedly. However, he also pointed to India’s costly extras — 32 in the first innings and nearly 65 in total — as another area that hurt them.

 

Kumble also believed that Siraj getting hit on the shoulder by Jofra Archer added to the pressure and possibly unsettled him before that fateful over.

Test cricket at its finest

Calling the Lord’s Test a “great advertisement for Test cricket”, Kumble said all three matches in the series had gone down to the wire. Though England now lead 2-1, Kumble felt that on a session-by-session basis, the battle has been closely contested.

 

In the end, while Jadeja’s resilience won hearts, Kumble’s critique serves as a reminder of how fine margins often separate heartbreak from history in Test cricket.