The Indian team selection processes entail many feelings: celebration for some, sorrow and yearning for others while leaving those who cheer feeling confused most times. Ravindra Jadeja was a big name missing from both the ODI and T20I teams of men’s white-ball tour of Sri Lanka when the squads were announced but did not seem to evoke either of these feelings.
The all-rounder who is often referred to as being jack of all trades’ given his ability to play at any position on the field disclosed his decision to retire from T20Is. Still, his career trajectory made it an unsurprising event- an average of a wicket per 17 overs bowled plus 35 runs scored during 2024 T20 World Cup final makes it seem more ordinary compared to retirements by Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli.
He missed selection for the ODI team leading to speculations about the end of the road for him in this format But this time round too, such talk does not surprise us because we have seen him among the top players that represented India during the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cups.
Here are the 3 Reasons Why India Should Consider Replacing Ravindra Jadeja In ODIs:
#1 Ravindra Jadeja would be too old by the time the 2027 World Cup comes
When assembling the ODI team, the selection panel would typically consider “What trajectory are we aiming for?” The response would have been the Champions Trophy slated for 2025, hence Jadeja may have been included. Nevertheless, they were probably referring to the 2027 Africa ODI World Cup; this would mean that Ravindra Jadeja will be 38 by then.
True, Kohli would be around the same age range too but when discussing athletes that belong to the class of Tigers Woods or Roger Federer (people with excellent health condition), injuries might not be as significant on him as they were on others
Jadeja’s fielding sets him apart, though it may have waned over the years. To avoid having too many players beyond their best, India must be ready to discard some old hands, including Rohit. Jadeja’s performances in coloured kits are on a downward trend. The record-breaking runs he has scored in each successive season of IPLs imply just that.
Letting him go now would clearly show him where his focus should be on red-ball cricket. It would lengthen his career in Tests as he takes a break from ODIs and T20Is, in which he remains pretty much irreplaceable.
#2 Declined batting ability
Jadeja’s skill with the bat is viewed as his main weakness in ODI cricket at the moment. But that’s why he is one of the top Test all-rounders worldwide as he has frequently complemented his bowling figures by batting performances.Test matches give him enough time to get settled, rotate strikes, choose his bowlers, and make huge scores, something that he enjoys.
During ODI and T20I matches, India all-rounders are required to score fast runs intelligently. In this respect, thinking of Jadeja as a good finisher has gone wrong many times lately. His batting ability has deteriorated significantly. In 17 ODI innings of 2023 he made 309 runs at an apparently good average of 30.90 but his strike rate was 75, thus unacceptable for a player who bats most of the time at number seven.
Jadeja has come short of a few moments where his lack of mental application has cost India few important runs other than not lining up death bowlers. From the Champions Trophy standpoint, a break seems fair enough.
#3 Right time to use Axar Patel’s best years
Ravindra Jadeja’s non-inclusion in the one-day international cricket team could be attributed to the main reason that the Indian cricket team does not have to settle anymore. The 2024 T20 World Cup provided an excellent launching platform for Axar Patel who was looking set for taking up the responsibilities for the limited over formats.
During the World Cup, the Gujarati left-arm spinner did not only score more critical runs, besides in the final, but also seemed trusted more by captain Rohit for decisive overs. His ability to bowl well all through the inning was quite impressive just like how well he could hit for sixes; he completed this argument by pulling off two amazing catches.
Being five years younger than Jadeja, Axar is now hitting top form in his career. The strike rate for number seven in ODIs for him is 102.56 in comparison with Jadeja who has 83.72. At the same time, it’s easy for Axar to bat anywhere unlike Jadeja. It’s high time now if we want to get the best out of him for our team.
A good way to start his journey to representing his country during the 2027 World Cup in one-day internationals is to include him in the planning and build-up for the Champions Trophy. We want him to arrive at that point as a well-developed, well-known face, and whenever there is need, he should be the 3rd guy as a spinner in a test match when needed.
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