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Former India opener Aakash Chopra has voiced his concerns regarding the declining batting form of Ravindra Jadeja in One Day Internationals (ODIs), just ahead of the ODI World Cup 2023 scheduled to be held in India. Jadeja, known for his proficiency as a spin-bowling all-rounder, has been facing a noticeable dip in his batting performance, a concern highlighted during the recently-concluded Asia Cup 2023.
Ravindra Jadeja’s underwhelming ODI batting form in 2023
In the year 2023, Jadeja featured in 12 One Day Internationals (ODIs), but his batting performances have left much to be desired. During this period, the 34-year-old managed to accumulate a total of 138 runs at an average of 23. His highest individual score in these games was an unbeaten 45 runs. Notably, this innings came against Australia and played a crucial role in securing a five-wicket victory for Team India in a fixture held in Mumbai earlier this year.
Aakash Chopra’s concerns about Jadeja’s ODI batting
On his YouTube channel, former cricketer Chopra expressed his concerns about Jadeja’s recent struggles in the 50-over format. Chopra pointed out that Jadeja, despite his capabilities, hasn’t managed to hit a single six in ODIs during the year 2023. This statistic underscores the need for Jadeja to enhance his batting performances, especially considering his pivotal role at the No. 7 position in the batting order.
“If you take out that innings of 45 not out, his average comes down to 15. That is not a good story. He bats down the order, but still there are a lot of single-digit scores,” Chopra said.
“Another aspect that is worrying is that he has played 243 balls in 2023, has hit nine fours and is still to hit a six. This is a bit shocking. Hopefully, he does it in the World Cup and the ODI series before that where he is the vice-captain. But the numbers are not good and it has to change as Jadeja is a very vital cog. We are talking about No. 8, but Jadeja needs to score at No. 7,” the 46-year-old added.
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Jadeja’s bowling performance in ODIs
Apart from his batting concerns, Chopra also pointed out that Jadeja’s bowling performance in ODIs has not been up to his usual high standards in 2023. While the left-arm spinner has managed to claim 11 wickets in 12 games, his impact with the ball has not been as significant as expected. The need for Jadeja to contribute both as a bowler and a batter is crucial for India’s success in the World Cup.
“Looking at his bowling in ODIs in 2023, it is again not a great story. He has claimed 11 wickets in 12 matches, which includes two three-wicket hauls, one of which came against Nepal. In the other 10 matches, he has claimed only five wickets. Not a good thing with the World Cup coming up. Since 2019 World Cup, he has been taking one wicket a game on an average.” the cricketer-turned commentator ellaborated.
“The other thing that has been very good has been his economy. He’s been very economical, going at 4.5 runs per over since the start of 2023. It’s important for Jadeja to come into wicket-taking form,” the Agra-born cricketer concluded.
