"I have to admit that I am guilty as charged" - Aakash Chopra lauds all-rounder for proving him wrong in IND vs ENG 2025 ODIs

Former India player Aakash Chopra has lauded Ravindra Jadeja for proving him wrong with his excellent performances with the ball in the first two ODIs against England. The cricketer-turned-commentator acknowledged that he felt the Saurashtra player had fallen to the bottom in the pecking order of India's spin-bowling all-rounders.

Jadeja registered figures of 3/35 in 10 overs as India bundled England out for 304 in the second ODI in Cuttack on Sunday, February 9. He remained unbeaten on a seven-ball 11 in the chase as the hosts registered a four-wicket win to seal the series 2-0 before the final game in Ahmedabad.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the former India opener admitted that he reckoned Jadeja's stock had fallen and that he might not get a place in the Men in Blue's playing XI.

"I have to admit that I am guilty as charged. It seemed like his numbers and stature were going down in white-ball cricket. The stocks had gone down and it seemed like the Indian team might not play him at all. There was a possibility that he could be rested," he said (6:00).

Chopra added that Axar Patel had supposedly become India's first-choice spin-bowling all-rounder, with head coach Gautam Gambhir's promotion of Washington Sundar presumably leaving Jadeja at the last spot among the trio.

"They could have said that they had kept his name at the 15th spot in any case, and Axar Patel is their primary all-rounder as he also bats up the order. After that, since Gautam has become the coach, he has promoted Washington Sundar a lot and he likes him. Sundar performed as well and Jadeja was left at the bottom," he observed.

India have played Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel in tandem in the first two ODIs against England. Washington Sundar hasn't been fielded in the XI, with Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy playing as the specialist spinners in the first and second games, respectively.

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"He did the job very well in both places" - Aakash Chopra on Ravindra Jadeja's spells in the first 2 IND vs ENG 2025 ODIs

Ravindra Jadeja registered figures of 3/26 in nine overs in the first ODI against England. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra noted that Ravindra Jadeja has made the most of the slightly spin-friendly pitches in the first two ODIs against England.

"In this team as well, Jadeja is being played as a bowler and not as a batter. He has been kept at No. 7 or No. 8 only. However, he is bowling well. He is bowling at the right spots. If there is even slight help from the pitch, which was the case in Nagpur and Cuttack, he did the job very well in both places," he said (6:40).

The analyst added that the veteran all-rounder also showcased his death-bowling skills in the two games.

"He has been economical and has been a wicket-taker. He has also been given a new role. From one angle, it seems like a good thing as he is being bowled till the 45th or 46th over and it's great he has been able to do that. However, if he is required to do that, it doesn't speak highly of our fast-bowling resources," Chopra observed.

To conclude, Aakash Chopra opined that Ravindra Jadeja has become India's primary spinner, with Axar Patel also being a virtual certainty because of his all-round skills.

He added that Washington Sundar's name might not be there in India's rejigged 2025 Champions Trophy squad as Varun Chakaravarthy built a case with his decent spell of 1/54 in 10 overs in the second ODI against England.