Aakash Chopra lauds Ravindra Jadeja’s spell in IND vs SA 2025 1st Test

Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra has showered praise on Ravindra Jadeja after his magical spell on the second day of the opening Test match against South Africa at Eden Gardens, Kolkata on Saturday. 

The veteran spinner returned with figures of 4-29 in 13 overs he bowled. The left-arm orthodox spinner accounted for Aiden Markram, Tristan Stubbs, Tony de Zorzi, and Wiaan Mulder. Jadeja was able to dismiss Wiaan Mulder and Tony de Zorzi in the same over to put India in front.

At stumps on the second day, South Africa were left tottering at 93-7, leading by 60 runs.

“You are seeing variation in speed and angles and he has started to think about wickets, but there is one more thing that has been his strength, and no one can snatch that strength from him. There is an optimal pace to bowl the best on every pitch. If that optimal pace is your natural pace, you don’t compromise your accuracy to bowl at that pace,” Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.

The renowned commentator reckons Kuldeep Yadav won’t as effective as Ravindra Jadeja if he tries to bowl fast.

“You can bowl long spells without changing anything. If you ask Kuldeep to bowl quicker on a slow pitch, he might be able to do that for some time, but after that, if he tries to bowl fast, he will either bowl full or short, and the same penetration won’t remain. The pace and accuracy Jaddu has, he is an unplayable bowler on this surface,” Chopra observed.

Jadeja was right on the money from the get-go, and former Indian batter Cheteshwar Pujara said a different Jadeja was palpable from the first over.

“A different Ravindra Jadeja was seen from the first over itself. When he got his first wicket, he got the confidence and figured out that he would keep getting wickets if he kept bowling that line and length. So he didn’t complicate it too much. He kept bowling at one spot,” he said.

“He bowled according to his strengths. The South African batters were getting slightly stuck on the back foot against the line and speed Jadeja was bowling. The credit goes to Jadeja because he persisted on the same line and length as the ball was hitting the stumps if the batter made a mistake,” Pujara observed.

Jadeja will look to get a five-wicket haul on Sunday.