Ravindra Jadeja came up with a savage reply after England pacer James Anderson said that the India all-rounder 'can bat like a proper batter' these days.
Jadeja brought up his third Test hundred — as well as his second this year — on Day 2 of the fifth and final Test between England and India at Edgbaston, Birmingham. After finishing unbeaten on 83 at stumps on the opening day following a 222-run sixth-wicket stand with Rishabh Pant (146), Jadeja added another 21 in the morning session before getting castled by Anderson.
"In the past, he was coming at 8, bat with the tail so he had to chance his arm a little bit. whereas now at 7 he can bat like a proper batter. He leaves really well and made it difficult for us," Anderson, the all-time leading Test wicket-taker among pacers, said after stumps on Day 2.
To which Jadeja replied with the following: "See, when you score runs, everyone says they think of themselves as a proper batter. But I've always tried to give myself time at the crease, to set a partnership with whoever is at the crease, to play with him. It's nice Jimmy Anderson has realised that after 2014… so I'm happy."
The relations between Jadeja and Anderson haven't always been pleasant, given the infamous spat between the two at Lord's in India's 2014 tour of England in which the Indian team had lodged a complaint against the pacer for allegedly "pushing" Jadeja.
Jadeja, in action for the first time since a disappointing run with the Chennai Super Kings in this year's IPL, has enjoyed a fine run with the bat besides playing a key role with his left-arm spin. The Saurashtra all-rounder had earlier this year notched up his second Test ton, smashing an unbeaten 175 against Sri Lanka in Mohali in addition to a match-haul of 9/87 to set up an innings and 222-run victory for the hosts.
Also Read: Jadeja asserts himself as backbone of Indian batting with Edgbaston ton
Jadeja spoke further on his role within the Indian team, which has evolved in recent months given the marked improvement in his batting skills that has solidified his status as one of the premier all-rounders of the current generation.
"My job is to do whatever the team needs me to do. As an allrounder, sometimes the situation is that you need to make runs and save the team and help them win. In bowling, you sometimes have to provide the breakthroughs and break partnerships or chip in with one or two wickets. I consider myself only a team player who does whatever the team needs," Jadeja added in the post-match presser.
Following Jadeja's exit, stand-in skipper Jasprit Bumrah smashed a whirlwind 31 not out to guide his team past the 400-mark, the visitors ultimately getting bowled out for 416. Bumrah, also a much-improved batter these days, dismantled Stuart Broad in the 84th over of the innings — which yielded 35 runs, the most expensive in Test history. He was then among the wickets as well, ending the day with a haul of 3/35 as the hosts found themselves at 84/5 at close of play, trailing by another 332.
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